The initial location of this second Territory Gate was overlooked because it was covered by the corpse of the first Black Ink Giant Spirit God. The Human Race never imagined that this was all the Black Ink Clan’s deliberate attempt to conceal the truth. Now, however, this region had become a battleground for the forces of the two Races, with control see-sawing back and forth numerous times. The battle was so intense that the likes of it had not been seen since the war outside the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction 500 years prior.
Under such tense circumstances, the Human Race could no longer dedicate additional Masters to other tasks.
So, despite the fact that Hong Hu delivered the news about the Ancestral Land Black Ink Giant Spirit God awakening, only Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao was able to intercede.
It wasn’t that the other Old Ancestor didn’t want to help, but that they simply couldn’t.
Originally, Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao believed that if she arrived in time, the matter of the Black Ink Giant Spirit God could be perfectly resolved, but unfortunately, she was one step too late. The Black Ink Giant Spirit God had awakened and was now passing through the Shattered Heaven, heading towards Wind Mist Territory!
Yang Kai raced through several Great Territories, sealing the Territory Gates as he went. Simultaneously, Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao was continually pestering the Black Ink Giant Spirit God that had awakened from the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land, delaying it as best she could.
She, however, quickly realised that something was off.
According to her and Yang Kai’s previous speculation, Mo’s Soul Clone would head from the Shattered Heaven to Wind Mist Territory, where it would cooperate with the Barren Territory’s Black Ink Clan Armies to rip open the sealed Territory Gate and allow an invasion of the 3,000 Worlds to begin in earnest.
If that was the case though, the Black Ink Giant Spirit God first had to leave the Shattered Heaven then travel across three Great Territories before arriving at Wind Mist Territory.
It was also due to this consideration that Yang Kai took the first step to block those connecting Territory Gates.
However, after more than a month of entanglement with the Black Ink Giant Spirit God, Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao realised that the route Mo’s Soul Clone was headed was not to the exit from the Shattered Heaven.
She first assumed that the Black Ink Giant Spirit God was lost since it had suddenly awakened; after all, even High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters could get lost in the enormous void without an appropriate Universe Chart in hand.
A Universe Chart was a must-have item for all Open Heaven Realm Masters to travel through the Great Territories.
Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao first felt fortunate, because if the other party had truly lost its way, it would be delayed for longer.
But after a few days, Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao realised something was off.
This Black Ink Giant Spirit God appeared to have no intention of heading to Wind Mist Territory as the direction it was travelling was actually towards the Territory Gate leading to the Barren Territory battlefield!
There were only two Territory Gates in the Shattered Heaven; one connecting to the adjacent Great Territory, and the other to the Barren Territory.
The two portals were on opposite sides of the Shattered Heaven, and no matter how lost the Black Ink Giant Spirit God was, it couldn’t be that foolish!
Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao was shocked and instantly recognised the issue that had been overlooked for so long.
What method did the Black Ink Giant Spirit God use to erode the boundary wall? Was it only the Black Ink Giant Spirit Gods who were capable of re-opening the sealed Territory Gates among all the Black Ink Clansmen?
Realising this, Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao’s increased the intensity of her attacks greatly.
This change caught the attention of the Black Ink Giant Spirit God, who had been silent in the face of Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao’s attacks, finally prompting it to speak, “This is your end. It is destined that the Black Ink Clan will rule the 3,000 Worlds. All of you will become my servants!”
Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao was taken aback and she asked in surprise, “You’re sentient?”
Whether it was the Black Ink Giant Spirit God encountered outside the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction or the one awakened from the Late Ancient Era battlefield, the Human Race were left with the impression that they were dealing with a monster who knew nothing but how to kill and destroy. Everyone believed that the Black Ink Giant Spirit God was solely created as a weapon for battle by Mo. Nobody ever imagined it had sentience and was capable of communication.
The Black Ink Giant Spirit Gods had never communicated with the Human Race, after all.
Mo laughed, “Sentience? Didn’t that naïve fellow tell you that all Black Ink Giant Spirit Gods are just my Soul Clones?”
This sentence disclosed far too much, and Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao’s beautiful face paled, “You’re Mo!?”
Yang Kai never informed her that the Black Ink Giant Spirit God was Mo’s Soul Clone as he had only recently learnt about it from Lu An.
Before that, no one would have guessed that such a massive and powerful Master was solely a Soul Clone.
Seeing the sudden realization of Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao, Mo sighed, “You are all much more foolish than Mu.”
In this world, there was probably no one smarter than Mu.
How would Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao care about this mocking attitude when she was so irritated at the moment? She clenched her teeth as she asked, “Are you heading to the Barren Territory?”
While sprinting clumsily, Mo nonchalantly answered, “Of course.”
As Mo passed by a Universe World along its way, it waved its hand and sent out a wave of Black Ink Strength. The previously beautiful rivers and mountains were dyed with Black Ink Strength that instantly corrupted all living beings it touched.
Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao grit her teeth as she watched the scene, but was helpless to stop it.
Mo had performed this act several times along the way, contaminating countless Universe Worlds and Spirit Provinces with Black Ink Strength.
Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao suddenly stopped attacking as she knew it was useless. It was a better idea to recover some strength and pry for some information, “You’re not going to Wind Mist Territory?”
Mo laughed lightly and said, “I don’t have to go there.”
“Someone else went there?” Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao frowned.
Mo shook its head, “No one went there. He was originally there from the start.”
Various thoughts flashed through the mind of Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao before she blurted out, “The last Eighth-Order Black Ink Disciple!”
Ji Lao San reported that two Eighth-Order Black Ink Disciples had appeared in the Shattered Heaven and were being pursued by Yang Kai. Yang Kai guessed that they were seeking to revive the Black Ink Giant Spirit God sealed in the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land. That was also why Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao hastened forth to assist.
As for who the two Eighth-Order Black Ink Disciples were, Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao had no idea either.
But she was certain they were two of the three individuals who had been corrupted by the Royal Lord Secret Technique some years ago.
There were three Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who were corrupted by Black Ink Strength at that time. Two went to the Shattered Heaven, so what happened to the last one?
Nobody has given it much thought before as although an Eighth-Order Black Ink Disciple was certainly dangerous, it was insignificant in comparison to the awakening of the Black Ink Giant Spirit God.
It wasn’t until now that Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao discovered that the Eighth-Order Black Ink Disciple had a significant role to play! He remained in Wind Mist Territory, on the other side of the half-opened Territory Gate, for some unknown purpose.
Perhaps Mo was in a good mood since the plan it had been plotting for so many years was about to succeed, so it freely chatted with Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao.
“Given that annoying guy’s capability to block portals, he must be quite gifted, but even if a Territory Gate is blocked, there always remains some traces which can be traced. My strength is not something that can be stopped simply by sealing those portals. In fact, even if he was capable of destroying a Territory Gate, I could always force it open again.”
“How do you open them?” Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao asked.
Mo was quite satisfied with this listener, so it continued patiently, “Cang was wrong to open the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction. At the time, I sent three Soul Clones and a thread of my own Will. That threat of Will could not completely leave the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction though, so it does not affect the overall situation. Putting that aside, can you guess where my three Soul Clones are right now?”
Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao quickly said, “One was used to awaken the Black Ink Giant Spirit God on the Late Ancient Era battlefield. One is in front of me, and one is… with that Eighth-Order Black Ink Disciple?”
Mo praised, “You’re pretty smart after all! En, that Eighth-Order Black Ink Disciple has my third Soul Clone. The Territory Gate connecting your 3,000 Worlds to the Barren Territory has been blocked for many, many years, so it is actually quite challenging to force it open. I had to borrow my half-destroyed Soul Clone to open that portal, but that wasn’t enough. Thankfully, I have another spare Soul Clone, and by sacrificing it, that portal will be completely opened!”
Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao clenched her teeth, “Since you are capable of completely opening the portal, why did you send people to Wind Mist Territory rather than doing it from the Barren Territory?”
Mo replied, “Awakening this body was always part of my plan. Besides, would you Humans allow me to take action before this body was awakened?”
An ancient existence like Mo was certainly malicious and cunning. To achieve its plan, it was willing to sacrifice a few Royal Lords as well as two of its Soul Clones.
However, the outcome was extremely remarkable. Two out of the three Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters that were corrupted by Black Ink Strength went to the Shattered Heaven to awaken the Black Ink Giant Spirit God while one remained in Wind Mist Territory, preparing to open the portal by borrowing the power of the last Soul Clone to erode the boundary wall.
Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao felt helpless in the face of such an enemy.
Yang Kai had no idea about this since he believed Mo’s Soul Clone intended to head to Wind Mist Territory, hence why he went all the way to seal the Territory Gates in between.
He even planned to ask the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer to descend the mountain to intervene directly in the war.
Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao could only hope that Yang Kai would notice the situation when he arrived in Wind Mist Territory, giving him a brief opportunity to foil the Black Ink Clan’s scheme.
As for her side…
There was no need to engage with the Black Ink Giant Spirit God any longer as she understood she couldn’t stop this Soul Clone of Mo on her own.
It was difficult for her to conceive what would happen to the Humans if this Black Ink Giant Spirit God entered the Barren Territory as well.
With this in mind, she no longer hesitated and she shot ahead.
She had to rush back to the Barren Territory before the third Black Ink Giant Spirit God to warn the others.
Mo didn’t even try to stop her. In fact, it actually stopped and simply stood there, watching her leave. At this point, all of its plans had been flawlessly carried out, and all that remained was to savour the sweet victory.
Despite having won though… it did not feel much happiness.
…..
Wind Mist Territory was not well-known among the Great Territories of the 3,000 Worlds, with many never even having heard of it before.
Yang Kai got here less than a month after parting with Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao as he had pushed his speed to the limit the whole way.
After blocking the Territory Gate he passed through, he took out his Universe Chart to check his route.
Next, he would proceed to Chaotic Dead Territory and ask Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan for help; if they were quick enough, they might be able to halt the Black Ink Giant Spirit God before it arrived in Wind Mist Territory.
With how dire the situation was. Yang Kai dared not be careless.
He immediately mapped out his next route, and determined he had to pass through five Great Territories to reach the Chaotic Dead Territory. It would take one and a half months with his current speed, so three months in total for a round trip.
Yang Kai clenched his teeth. Time was critical, and he was unsure if he would make it in time; after all, a Black Ink Giant Spirit God was also extraordinarily fast. He could only pray that the sealed Territory Gates would buy him enough time.
Not daring to delay a single breath, Yang Kai set out.
There was also a Universe Temple in Wind Mist Territory, but since Yang Kai had never been there before, he had not left his Imprint on it; otherwise, he would be able to save a lot of time by utilising the Universe Transference Law.
However, he could leave his Imprint at the Universe Temple now, which would save him time on his journey back.
A few days later, Yang Kai noticed a quaint Grand Hall floating in the void from afar and realised that he had arrived at the Universe Temple of the Great Territory.
Just as he wanted to rush into the Universe Temple though, he saw countless cultivators streaming out of it, frantically flying in all directions.
This sight made Yang Kai feel uneasy.
The number of cultivators pouring out from the Universe Temple was so immense that he couldn’t help but suspect that all the cultivators in Wind Mist Territory who could traverse the void were gathered here; otherwise, it would be impossible to gather so many Open Heaven Realm Masters in a Great Territory like Wind Mist Territory on usual days.
Flashing forward, he grabbed a young man who had just stepped out of the Universe Temple and was about to depart, then questioned in a solemn voice, “What happened here?”
The cultivator was enraged that he was seized just as he was panicking fleeing for his life, so he tried to break free from Yang Kai but failed.
Fortunately, he was smart enough to realise that the other party was way stronger than him, so he restrained his rage and explained impatiently, “I don’t know what happened. All I heard was people saying the void had shattered and Wind Mist Territory was about to fall into a catastrophe. Everyone is fleeing, and so am I.”
“The void shattered?” Yang Kai muttered in a daze.
Taking advantage of this, the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master struggled again, and finally successfully broke free from Yang Kai, fleeing in an instant.
At that moment, Yang Kai heard the sound of conversation from numerous individuals, so he instantly turned to look. He noticed those individuals were two Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters and a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master talking to each other, and it appeared that they were the leaders of some Great Forces.
Yang Kai stepped forward, and learning from his prior experience, he deliberately released his Eighth-Order undulations.
The presence of an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master among a group of Fifth and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters undoubtedly gained everyone’s attention. The three Masters, who were conversing, fell into silence immediately and looked over at Yang Kai.
Striding over in an instant, he cupped his fist, “Star Boundary’s Yang Kai would like to inquire about what happened here.”
The eyes of the three people brightened, and the oldest-looking Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master hesitated before asking, “Is Senior… the Lord of the Star Boundary?”
They were all aware of the mighty reputation of the Star Boundary. Previously, these three had intended to send their talented disciples there to train in order to experience the nourishing benefits of the World Tree clone, but unfortunately, they lacked the means to do so.
They also knew that the Star Boundary had several Great Emperors recognized by it, one of whom was Yang Kai who bore the title ‘Void Great Emperor’.
It was just that according to rumours, this person had been in retreat for 1,000 years and had not been seen for that long.
They had never imagined that they would be able to meet an individual who claimed to be Yang Kai of the Star Boundary.
“It is this Yang!” Yang Kai nodded.
These three were equally delighted and shocked by his response. After many years of being unable to form a connection with anybody from the Star Boundary, they were ecstatic to meet the Lord of the Star Boundary in Wind Mist Territory’s moment of danger. What shocked them even more was the fact that Yang Kai was an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master already!
As far as they knew, the Lord of the Star Boundary was only a Sixth-Order Master when he disappeared from the public eye some 1,000 years ago. While 1,000 years sounded like a lot, for those in the Open Heaven Realm, it could not be considered a long time, especially to cross two Orders.
[Are the Word Tree clone’s benefits that astonishing?]
They assumed that Yang Kai’s rapid advancement in cultivation was a result of the World Tree clone; however, this was not just a case of them being ignorant and uninformed. The World Tree clone was largely aggrandized by many and so the general public were unaware of its secrets since they had never visited the Star Boundary.
Additionally, the information made public by High Heaven Palace, the representative Sect of the Star Boundary, was the reason they believed Yang Kai had been in retreat for 1,000 of years. Though many individuals in the Cave Heavens and Paradises were aware of Yang Kai true location on the Black Ink Battlefield, it was unwise to inform the public about it, so they only announced that Yang Kai had been in retreat.
The three Masters exchanged greetings right away once they realised the man in front of them was indeed the Lord of the Star Boundary. These three were Sect Masters of the strongest three Sects in Wind Mist Territory. The oldest Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master among them was the Wind Mist Sect Master, Zhao Long Ji, and the other two were subordinates of his.
Facing an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, who was also the Lord of the Star Boundary, they dared not act nonchalantly, so Zhao Long Ji immediately explained the situation from start to finish.
Some time ago, a disciple of Wind Mist Sect discovered something strange in the void while he was outside travelling. Since his cultivation wasn’t high, he dared not conduct a hasty investigation and instead quickly went back to his Master Sect to report the issue. In turn, one of the Vice Sect Masters led a team to investigate.
This Vice Sect Master was soon startled by what he saw.
It only took less than 10 days from when the disciple discovered the anomaly to when the Vice Sect Master led people to investigate, but in that time, the void, which was initially only slightly warped, seemed to have broken apart and a hole had appeared in it. From that hole, something that looked like the blackest gas imaginable had flowed out, filling the surrounding space.
Being a cautious person, the Vice Sect Master ordered a disciple to enter deeper to investigate the matter, but how could he have expected that as soon as that disciple entered that black gas, it would latch onto him and cause a kind of mutation which he struggled hard to resist.
Fortunately, the Vice Sect Master was strong enough to subdue him.
But what was shocking was that the disciple became perfectly normal after being subdued. Only after the Vice Sect Master carefully examined this disciple and determined that there was nothing amiss did he release him.
After several investigations, he realised that any disciples who came into contact with that black substance would struggle hard at first and then be perfectly fine as soon as it dissipated.
The Vice Sect Master was baffled and had no idea what in the world this black substance was.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises had recruited many Fifth-Order and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters to join the battle in the Barren Territory, yet they still did not disclose any news about Black Ink Strength to the outside world. So, the Masters from Wind Mist Territory were all not aware of the existence and characteristics of Black Ink Strength.
When Yang Kai heard this, he knew something was wrong.
This was unmistakably a case of being corrupted by Black Ink Strength.
A cultivator would instinctively struggle while being corrupted, but after they were completely overcome by Black Ink Strength, it would be impossible to see anything wrong with them unless their Small Universe was checked.
It was just that it was unthinkable for someone to want to inspect another’s Small Universe; after all, in the 3,000 Worlds, this was one of the greatest taboos. Many store their greatest secrets and valuables in their Small Universes; thus, it would be highly offensive to ask to see another’s Small Universe,
[Did the portal that connects Wind Mist Territory to the Barren Territory expand enough for Black Ink Strength to begin leaking out already?]
This was not a good sign. The Black Ink Giant Spirit God had yet to arrive, but if this situation persisted, the Territory Gate might be completely opened all on its own.
“What about those disciples who are contaminated with that black substance?” Yang Kai asked anxiously.
Zhao Long Ji sighed, “They’re dead. Something went wrong with them which caused them to suddenly assault Vice Sect Master Liu, who later put them to death on the spot. Unfortunately, Vice Sect Master Liu was also stained by that substance despite him escaping. He somehow managed to retain his senses and hurried back to the Sect to deliver a warning. Before the black substance completely changed him as well, he understood what fate awaited him and so he pleaded with this Zhao to spare him from it. It was a duty that this Zhao carried out with great reluctance.”
Vice Sect Master Liu was also a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, and a Master like him was rare among Sects such as the Wind Mist Sect. Zhao Long Ji was devastated that had to be killed in this manner.
Suddenly, Yang Kai looked at him seriously and reached out to grab him. That startled Zhao Long Ji who originally wanted to fight back but was instantly seized by Yang Kai, completely immobilising him.
Immediately afterwards, he sensed an overwhelming force intruding into himself, examining his body inside and out.
Only then did he realise what Yang Kai was doing, so he instantly said, “Senior Yang, rest assured. After Vice Sect Master Liu, this Zhao found out about the peculiarities of the black substance and did not allow it to infect anyone else.”
When Yang Kai confirmed that Zao Long Ji was clean, he nodded and replied, “It seems you do understand the dangers of Black Ink Strength now. Anyone that is corrupted by it will become a Black Ink Disciple, who appears no different on the outside. The only way to determine the truth is to investigate their Small Universe. Forgive me for the offence.”
“Black Ink Strength?”
“Black Ink Disciple?”
The few of them looked at each other. This was the first time they heard such terms.
Then, Yang Kai sighed, “Have you all received the conscription order from Cave Heavens and Paradises?”
All three of them nodded upon his words. Some Masters of their Sects also received the order to gather at the Shattered Heaven.
“The Black Ink Clan is our Human Race’s greatest enemy while Black Ink Strength is the power they hold. It is extremely corruptive; once stained by it, it cannot be dispersed. Just like your Vice Sect Master and the few disciples, they will end up as Black Ink Disciples and lose their original selves. The Cave Heavens and Paradises have been fighting against the Black Ink Clan on a distant battlefield for countless years, preventing them from invading the 3,000 Worlds.”
Zhao Long Ji and others turned pale in shock, “We never knew about this!”
“The Cave Heavens and Paradises purposefully concealed this matter to avoid causing panic,” Yang Kai shook his head and said, “But now that the situation has taken a turn for the worse, we need assistance from even Second Class Sects like yours.”
The three came to a sudden realization.
They previously wondered why the Cave Heavens and Paradises suddenly sent out orders to recruit so many Fifth-Order and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. Not only Wind Mist Territory, they also heard that all other Great Territories were the same.
They had guessed that the Cave Heavens and Paradises had encountered some kind of powerful enemy, but they never knew that this enemy had actually been fought against for such a long time.
Zhao Long Ji responded, “If this is the case, is the opening in the Great Territory caused by the invasion of the Black Ink Clan?”
“Indeed! What is the situation of the opening now?”
Zhao Long Ji replied worriedly, “It is expanding rapidly. The same goes for that thing you call Black Ink Strength. We had no choice but to send orders to everyone to evacuate Wind Mist Territory. As for what measures we should take next, we were discussing that just now.”
Many individuals objected to Zhao Long Ji’s decisions at first; after all, Wind Mist Sect had laid down its foundation in this Great Territory more than 10,000 years ago, making them reluctant to simply abandon it.
However, after witnessing what happened to their disciples and Vice Sect Master, and seeing the rapid expansion of the darkness, Zhao Long Ji overruled all objections and ordered a general evacuation of Wind Mist Territory.
Several other Sects immediately followed suit once word had spread, but the majority of the forces here stayed behind. To those smaller Sects, they would be the largest Sects after Wind Mist Sect and other Second Class Great Forces left, so they would now have an opportunity to rise.
Opportunity and danger coexisted; or at least, for those that were weak, that was how they saw the current situation.
“Your foresight and decisiveness are praiseworthy!” Yang Kai nodded. Although he was unaware of the present state of the Territory Gate, he deduced that Wind Mist Territory was bound to be thrown into chaos soon. The only way for the inhabitants of this place to avoid a disaster was to quickly flee.
“Senior Yang is too polite. This is merely an act of self-preservation,” Zhao Long Ji replied.
Yang Kai nodded and continued to ask, “Is there somewhere for you to go?”
“No. We have nowhere to go for now,” Zhao Long Ji answered as he exchanged glances with the other two Sect Masters.
When preparing to flee, Zhao Long Ji contacted the other Second Class Great Force in the neighbouring Great Territory, intending to shelter there for a while; however, this was not a matter that could simply be consented to despite their usual good relationship as they feared that if Wind Mist Sect had any malicious motives, they would find themselves in a vulnerable state.
Therefore, Zhao Long Ji and the rest could only take one step at a time because they had nowhere to go after they completely evacuated Wind Mist Territory. If they were fortunate enough, they might be able to locate a Great Territory that was not guarded by a strong Great Force to settle down and then make future decisions based on what happened in Wind Mist Territory.
“Head to the Star Boundary,” Yang Kai sighed as he vaguely sensed their troubles. Who would willingly accept competition, since each Great Territory possessed their own Great Forces?
As soon as the words left his mouth, Zhao Long Ji and others were overjoyed, “Can we really go to the Star Boundary?”
If they were really permitted to go to the Star Boundary, they would willingly migrate there even if Wind Mist Territory wasn’t facing a catastrophe.
Their response made Yang Kai question in confusion, “Why can’t you go to the Star Boundary?”
When Zhao Long Ji heard his question, he suddenly realised that this individual before him, who had been in retreat for many centuries, might not know much about the Star Boundary’s current situation. So, he explained in a somewhat shocked manner, “I’m afraid Senior Yang might not be aware that the current Star Boundary is not somewhere that just anyone can enter at will. To enter the Star Boundary, you need to be sponsored by one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises, or by the local Great Forces of the Star Boundary. Moreover, there is a restriction on the number of people allowed in.”
Only then did Yang Kai remember that the Star Boundary had the World Tree clone, which made it extremely attractive to all cultivators. If there were no such restrictions, the Star Boundary would instantly be overcrowded.
Knowing that continuing to speak without understanding the specifics would just cause more trouble, Yang Kai took out a jade slip and used his Divine Sense to engrave a quick message inside of it before handing it to Zhao Long Ji, “Bring this to High Heaven Palace in the Star Boundary and someone will settle the following affairs.”
Zhao Long Ji was thrilled. With this Faith Token awarded by the Lord of the Star Boundary himself, entering the Star Boundary would no longer be an issue. He was under no illusions that he would actually be able to settle in the Star Boundary, but even remaining in High Heaven Territory would be a massive boon. This worked in his favour as well because he was one step closer to his objective, a possibility of the talented Wind Mist Sect disciples being able to cultivate in the Star Boundary in the future, helping them greatly.
For this, he was extremely grateful towards Yang Kai.
“It’s not only you few. I need you to evacuate as many people from Wind Mist Territory as possible,” Yang Kai waved his hand and ordered.
He looked in the distance and continued, “I’m afraid that this Great Territory… will soon be engulfed in the flames of war.”
Zhao Long Ji’s heart tightened. He had a question, but it was difficult for him to ask, so he only cupped his fist and said, “Rest assured, Lord Yang. I will send disciples to the various Spirit Provinces of the Universe Worlds to deliver this message. Anyone willing to follow us shall not be forsaken.”
“Good.” Yang Kai simply said. Then, after some thought, he followed up, “I still have other responsibilities so I shall take my leave. Spread the news about the Black Ink Clan and Black Ink Strength along your journey to the Star Boundary. If any others are willing to follow you, bring them along with you.”
Zhao Long Ji realised the seriousness of the issue when Yang Kai said this, so he respectfully agreed.
Soon, Yang Kai departed after asking for the exact location of the portal.
Zhao Long Ji frowned as he watched Yang Kai leave, “Although Senior Yang didn’t say much, judging from his words… I’m afraid that Wind Mist Territory really is facing a calamity.”
The Sect Masters of the other two Great Forces nodded their heads in agreement. They were not fools, so they had their own speculations and thoughts about the situation.
How would Yang Kai have given such a command if the circumstances weren’t incredibly dire?
The reason why they were sent to the Great Territory where the Star Boundary was located was that Yang Kai felt that as the only Open Heaven Realm Cradle, the Star Boundary would be the last bastion of the Human Race if the Black Ink Clan really invaded the 3,000 Worlds. Any other Great Territories could be abandoned, but not High Heaven Territory.
As long as the Star Boundary remained, the Human Race would have a chance to make a comeback!
After four hours, Yang Kai finally arrived at the breach in Wind Mist Territory; his heart sank as he looked over the area.
The void here was enveloped in incredibly dense Black Ink Strength that formed into a huge Black Ink Cloud. This was the first time Yang Kai had seen such a pure and dense Black Ink Cloud. Even a Royal Lord’s Black Ink Strength wasn’t this pure.
Black Ink Strength filled a radius of a million kilometres, and it was still spreading out at a speed that was visible to the naked eye.
Yang Kai even felt the fluctuation of Space Principles coming from the centre of the Black Ink Cloud.
Things were far worse than he imagined.
This Territory Gate from Wind Mist Territory to the Barren Territory appeared to have almost completely broken open.
Yang Kai arrived at the same moment the battle in the Barren Territory battlefield reached its peak. Both the Human Race and Black Ink Clan had been directing vast amounts of troops in that direction, and now the whole void was nearly filled with blood and mangled bodies.
The roars of Divine Spirits echoed without stop across the battlefield.
Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao had already hurried back, bringing back the news that saddened all the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Another Giant Black Ink Spirit God had awakened and was moving in their direction.
The Human Race had finally managed to stabilize the situation after borrowing manpower from the Divine Spirits and many Second Class Great Forces, but if another Black Ink Giant Spirit God rushed in, all their efforts would be in vain.
In the chaos, Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao was able to get in touch with the Phoenix Clan’s Leader and urged her to shut the Territory Gate leading to the Barren Territory from the Shattered Heaven.
The portal was immediately sealed shut after the Phoenix Clan Leader received the news.
Her mastery over the Dao of Space was stronger than Yang Kai’s, so whatever he was capable of, she was too.
The truth was, she had actually shut the Territory Gate from the Shattered Heaven to the Black Ink Battlefield when the Dragon and Phoenix Clans retreated from the No-Return Pass, but it was forcefully reopened by the Black Ink Giant Spirit God.
This was also the reason why Yang Kai noticed the expansion and distortion of the Territory Gate back then. It was because the Black Ink Giant Spirit God had torn it open.
After the invasion of the Barren Territory by the Black Ink Clan, the Phoenix Clan leader intended to repeat the tactic once again, but was not given the chance as her objective was too obvious.
Fortunately, Yang Kai was there to help. He blocked the portal after the death of one of the Black Ink Giant Spirit Gods while the other was being held down by Ah Er. The Black Ink Clan was unable to reopen the portal because they were lacking these Black Ink Giant Spirit Gods, which as a result, prevented them from receiving reinforcements.
The Phoenix Clan leader was aware that shutting the portal would not solve the issue, only temporarily alleviate it; however, even another breath of time now was incredibly valuable.
It was no challenge to her to seal a Territory Gate, so she finished this task within moments; however, before she could breathe a sigh of relief, the blocked portal suddenly began to crack. Immediately after, a gigantic hand that seemed to come from another universe punched through the barriers, bursting into the Barren Territory.
Black Ink Strength emanated from the gigantic hand, and it was so intense that it caused the nearby soldiers to freeze in fear under the intimidation of the gigantic hand.
Following, another gigantic hand burst through. Both hands then held onto the sides of the portal tightly, mercilessly forcing it open.
Despite their greatest efforts, Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao and the Phoenix Clan leader were unable to hold back the Black Ink Giant Spirit God.
Soon, a huge crack was torn open and a giant head poked in, Black Ink Strength flowing off it like a tide.
The Humans in the area immediately scattered; nonetheless, some were still accidentally stained. The Black Ink Giant Spirit God was far more powerful than a Royal Lord, so even if it was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, they would quickly become corrupted and turn into a Black Ink Disciple without being able to resist. Fortunately, all the Humans carried spare Purifying Black Ink Pills with them, which they quickly swallowed when they noticed the danger.
Both the Grand Army on the frontlines and the Ninth-Order Old Ancestors noticed the abnormality in the rear, but before the Old Ancestors could even come to support them, they were entrapped by the Royal Lords who knew that it was now the critical moment in their plan.
The battle between the top Masters of both Races quickly heated up, and in less than an incense stick of time, Royal Lords and Ninth-Order Old Ancestors began dying.
Though the Black Ink Giant Spirit God had shrunk in size, it was still as majestic as a mountain. It struggled hard through the portal while enduring constant bombardment from Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao and the Phoenix Clan leader, yet it showed no signs of backing down.
Half an incense stick later, the Black Ink Giant Spirit God finally stepped out of the portal, reaching the Barren Territory.
Its immeasurable intimidation spread around and all the Open Heaven Realm Masters of lower orders trembled under its awesome pressure.
“The Human Race shall perish! Only this Divine One, Mo, shall reign eternal!” After letting out this roar, as though it was venting the hardships of being imprisoned for millions of years, the Black Ink Giant Spirit God immediately slammed down its sky-covering hand.
When the Phoenix Clan Leader saw this, she wrapped Space Principles around Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao and escaped instantaneously.
Just as she turned to look again, the Black Ink Giant Spirit God was already laughing wildly, heading in the direction of the second Territory Gate. On its way, Black Ink Strength surged, forcing the Human Race Army to retreat and give way.
The sudden intrusion of an unrestrained Black Ink Giant Spirit God on such a battlefield was simply disastrous for the Human Race. Many Open Heaven Realm Masters who had set foot on this battlefield not long ago had all lost their will to fight at this very moment.
They had never taken part in such a massive, violent war before they were called up by the Cave Heavens and Paradises. They were also far less capable than the elites from Cave Heavens and Paradises, whether it was their Will or strength.
Even with the full resistance of Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao and Phoenix Clan Leader, it was impossible to stop this Black Ink Giant Spirit God from moving forward.
The Human Race’s earlier advantage, which placed both Races on roughly equal footing, instantly vanished and only became worse as more time passed. Once it reached the Barren Territory, this Black Ink Giant Spirit God erupted with unparalleled combat power.
In less than half a day, this Black Ink Giant Spirit God that broke into the Barren Territory from the Shattered Heaven arrived at the opening.
This was where the body of the other fallen Black Ink Giant Spirit God was located, the Soul Clone of Mo that came out of the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction. After its death, Black Ink Strength that flowed out from its corpse transformed into a Black Ink Ocean, covering a vast swath of the void.
With the help of this coverage, the Black Ink Clan secretly sent out three Eighth-Order Black Ink Disciples without alerting the Human Race.
By this time, all of the Black Ink Clan’s plans had been fully implemented, and the Human Race was powerless to stop them anymore.
With this Black Ink Giant Spirit God charging in all the way, let alone Humans, even the Divine Spirits appeared small and weak in the face of such existence.
The Black Ink Giant Spirit God opened its mouth and inhaled deeply when it arrived. Immediately, the vast Black Ink Ocean was drawn in, accumulating towards its mouth like a whale gulping down water.
In just a short while, the Black Ink Ocean that filled the void was completely absorbed, strengthening the already ludicrously powerful Black Ink Giant Spirit God and causing it to grow in size by some 30%.
Without the cover of the Black Ink Ocean, the condition of the region where the sealed Territory Gate was located could be seen at a glance.
The enormous void appeared to be a layer of thin ice that shimmered like rippling light on water in the midst of its warping and distortion. Along with those ripples of light, dense Black Ink Strength could be vaguely felt surging from within as space contorted, as if it was about to shatter apart.
The numerous Ninth-Orders Masters looked at the scene with fire burning in their eyes. They were all aware that the Black Ink Clan’s plan had reached its most vital juncture and that the Barren Territory and Wind Mist Territory would soon be entirely connected after the boundary wall was broken apart.
Judging by the situation, it would not be long now.
The Black Ink Clan Army had begun to gather from all sides, obviously with the intention of guarding the Black Ink Giant Spirit God and the region as a whole.
The conflict over this territory had not ceased as neither the Black Ink Clan nor the Humans would give up. Now, it was not exaggerated to say that 80% of the two Races’ Armies were gathered in this region.
In the past, control of this region had gone back and forth between the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan; however, neither side was able to occupy it for long.
However, things were different now.
The Black Ink Clan now had another Black Ink Giant Spirit God whose aura had just been strengthened after devouring the Black Ink Strength left behind by the fallen Soul Clone.
It would certainly be a challenge to the Human Race to snatch back this stretch of void from the Black Ink Clan now.
Under the orders of the Ninth-Order Old Ancestor and Army Commanders, the Human Race Army, from all directions, intensified their assault.
Countless powerful Divine Spirits flitted around the battlefield, cooperating with the Army to wear down the Black Ink Clan soldiers. As the power of various Secret Techniques and artifacts continuously blasted towards their enemies, the auras of many lives disappeared one after another.
The Human Race’s attacks were repeatedly repulsed however, as the Black Ink Giant Spirit God that charged in from the Shattered Heaven had broken the balance of power between the two Races all on its own.
While the two Races were fighting, it sat still in the void. Although it rarely launched attacks, when it did, it carried an absolutely unstoppable force that even the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters found difficult to resist. Only by working together could the Dragon and Phoenix Clan leaders somehow fight back, but they were still clearly at a disadvantage.
The scene was incredibly disheartening.
All of a sudden, the Black Ink Giant Spirit God abruptly turned its head to gaze at the position of the half-sealed Territory Gate, sneered coldly, then thrust out its palm, causing the already thin, sheet-like boundary wall to shatter.
At the same time, on the opposite side of the boundary wall, Yang Kai’s figure was sent flying several hundred thousand kilometres just from the shockwave before he could stabilise himself.
After cursing for a moment, he surged his Space Principles and used Instantaneous Movement to arrive in front of the almost broken boundary wall.
Upon separating from the Wind Mist Territory’s Sect Masters, Yang Kai followed their directions to locate this portal. Not daring to delay after witnessing the current state of affairs, Yang Kai tried to close and reinforce the breach. If he had succeeded, he might be able to delay things for a while, even if it wouldn’t be enough to stop the Black Ink Clan’s plan.
Yang Kai also found a dying man who was in the same condition as Ye Ming whom he encountered in the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land.
Yang Kai didn’t know which Cave Heaven or Paradise this individual came from, but he knew that he was also an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Ye Ming previously carried a Soul Clone of Mo and used a Secret Technique to awaken the Black Ink Giant Spirit God in the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land, over-drafting his vitality and ultimately causing his death.
Given Ye Ming’s experience, Yang Kai naturally understood what occurred to this Eighth-Order Master before him.
This individual also carried a Soul Clone of Mo! He had clearly unleashed the Soul Clone to corrode the boundary wall connecting this place to the Barren Territory.
Yang Kai’s expression darkened. He had assumed that the awakened Black Ink Giant Spirit God from the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land would arrive here, all because of the words by Lu An before his death.
It was Lu An who told him about the instability of the passage between the Barren Territory and the outside world which could only be completely opened if the Black Ink Giant Spirit God arrived and collaborated with the Black Ink Clan in the Barren Territory.
However, it appeared that this was not the Black Ink Clan’s plan.
The Black Ink Giant Spirit God did not have to be present here as there was already an Eighth-Order Blank Ink Disciple with Mo’s Soul Clone to erode the boundary wall from this side.
Such a thin boundary wall would not be able to withstand the force of Mo’s tremendously strong Soul Clone.
[Did Lu An lie to me?]
If that was the case, it indicated that Lu An had yet to rediscover his true self and was still a Black Ink Disciple when he died.
However, Yang Kai was unwilling to believe that. After ascending to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, Lu An had dedicated his life to the Black Ink Battlefield. He had no complaints even after more than 10,000 years of service, so Yang Kai hoped that he had died as a Human rather than a Black Ink Disciple.
If Lu An did not lie to him, the only explanation was that Lu An was also unclear about the Black Ink Clan’s plan.
His only mission was to wake the Black Ink Giant Spirit God in the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land with Ye Ming.
The task of the Eighth-Order Black Ink Disciple here was to use Mo’s Soul Clone to erode the boundary wall and open the Territory Gate.
Of course, in the current situation, it was pointless to seek answers to these questions. What worried Yang Kai more was where the awakened Black Ink Giant Spirit God was headed if it was not here.
Yang Kai understood almost immediately that it had gone to Barren Territory, the battlefield of the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan. If that was the case, the Human Race would not be able to interfere, allowing it to achieve its goal by collaborating with its Army and the other Black Ink Giant Spirit God.
Even Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao could not stop it!
As soon as Yang Kai understood everything, he dared not delay anymore. He wanted to quickly block and reinforce the already eroded boundary wall.
However, just as he made a move, a tremendous force from the other side of the boundary wall blasted him away again.
Yang Kai was so anxious that his eyes burned with fire. Now, he finally understood that the Black Ink Giant Spirit God had arrived as no one other than a Master like it could cause such an impact across a boundary wall, no matter how thin it was.
When Yang Kai rushed back a second time, what he saw made even his stalwart heart despair.
The boundary wall had entirely shattered, and from the broken Territory Gate, the aura of another Great Territory flowed through Yang Kai could even sense the chaotic energy fluctuating from the opposite side, obviously due to the battle between the Black Ink Clan and the Human Race.
And from the broken boundary wall, a giant hand that radiated incredible energy protruded out, continuously enlarging the gap in the broken boundary wall.
With such a gigantic hand stuck in the boundary wall, Yang Kai had no hope to block the Territory Gate again, no matter how proficient he was within the Dao of Space.
The boundary wall between the Barren Territory and Wind Mist Territory had been completely broken through!
The next instant, a hulking figure with two horns on its head and the aura of a Feudal Lord emerged from the passage, displaying a smug sense of complacency.
He noticed Yang Kai standing not far away and immediately grinned wildly, “How lucky of me! There’s a Human!”
Saying so, he charged towards Yang Kai.
But before he even got close, a pallid light bloomed in his eyes, and his vision became distorted. In that distorted vision, he saw a decapitated body with black blood spurting freely from the neck.
For some reason, he felt that this corpse was somewhat familiar…
He suddenly came to his senses, [Isn’t that my body?]
Without figuring out what happened, his consciousness sank into darkness.
Following him were more Black Ink Clan storming through the passage from the Barren Territory battlefield to Wind Mist Territory.
Yang Kai clutched the spear in his hand, his expression cold as he weaved his Supreme Limitless Spear Art, using the Azure Dragon Spear to unleash a barrage of spear shadows in all directions, slaughtering all the Black Ink Clansmen that were emerging from the Territory Gate.
These Black Ink Clansmen varied in strength, but none were very strong, so in the face of Yang Kai’s attack, they were almost powerless to resist.
The Black Ink Clan were no longer contained in the Barren Territory battlefield since the boundary wall had been breached. Clearly not interested in battling to the death with the Human Army, the Black Ink Clan poured out of the Barren Territory once the Black Ink Giant Spirit God forced open a new portal.
Only in this manner would the Black Ink Clan be able to carry out their next plan.
In such a predicament, Yang Kai had no choice but to stand his ground and kill all the enemies that came through.
He stood alone in front of the passageway and wielded his spear. Before even gaining a clear look at Wind Mist Territory, the Black Ink Clansmen that poured out from the passage died one after another.
As the saying went, as long as one man guards the mountain pass, even a thousand warriors would not be able to enter.
However, no matter how strong Yang Kai was, he couldn’t completely wipe out the seemingly endless stream of Black Ink Clansmen that flooded out through the passageway.
The Black Ink Giant Spirit God soon noticed the abnormality too and tried to use the gigantic hand that was forcing open the boundary wall passage to capture Yang Kai several times, but each time Yang Kai managed to avoid its attacks as they were significantly weakened across the Great Territories.
As more Black Ink Clansmen arrived, Yang Kai’s rate of slaughtering became unsustainable.
Initially, these Black Ink Clansmen tried to surge forward to kill Yang Kai, whom they perceived as a formidable enemy; however, after a series of costly defeats, the Black Ink Clansmen must have gotten some sort of command not to engage with Yang Kai at all and instead spread out in all directions as soon as they came out from the passageway.
Yang Kai did everything he could to stop this, but he was ultimately just one man.
Left with no other option, Yang Kai madly surged his Space Principles, causing the surrounding void to fracture like a broken mirror.
This time, things were much simpler. Even without Yang Kai having to take further action, the Black Ink Clansmen that emerged from the passageway were cut to death by the myriad of Void Cracks.
There were still some that managed to avoid being sliced apart by this web of Void Cracks, but Yang Kai’s follow-up attacks took care of them.
This Secret Technique was something Yang Kai only recently developed, and while it was not particularly powerful, making it useless against truly strong foes, it was highly effective against masses of weaker opponents.
With such a Secret Technique deployed outside of the Territory Gate, any Black Ink Clansman that rushed out from the passageway would inevitably fall into this trap.
All Black Ink Clansmen weaker than Feudal Lords would perish on contact with the Void Cracks, and although the Feudal Lords were slightly more powerful, the innumerable Void Cracks still severely damaged them. Only the Territory Lords were immune to the damage caused by this shattered mirror.
All the current Territory Lords were Innate Territory Lords directly created by Mo’s power. They were absolutely strong and were no weaker than the Human Race’s finest Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
In less than an incense stick, Black Ink Clansmen corpses were piled up as high as mountains outside the exit of the Territory Gate. It was impossible to estimate how many had died. Additionally, besides the weaker Black Ink Clansmen, Yang Kai even managed to kill two Territory Lords right after they appeared.
Unfortunately, Yang Kai had reached his limits. More and more Black Ink Clansmen were pouring out of the portal, and his Space Secret Technique was starting to crumble, a sign that it would collapse any time from now.
Yang Kai had the ability to cast this Secret Technique again, but he was currently being attacked by five Territory Lords so he was rather occupied at the moment.
Taking full advantage of his mastery of the Dao of Space, Yang Kai was fighting back fiercely against these five Innate Territory Lords, and despite his disadvantage, it was the Territory Lords who were constantly leaking cold sweat in the face of Yang Kai’s spear.
After comprehending so many Grand Dao Strengths in the Great Sea Celestial Phenomenon, Yang Kai’s Supreme Limitless Spear Art had evolved even further, allowing each of his attacks to become illusory and unpredictable, throwing off these Territory Lords’ senses and forcing them onto the defensive. However, these five learnt quickly after two of their own were injured and now refused to act separately no matter how weak Yang Kai appeared to be, insisting on battling him as a single unit.
Yang Kai repeatedly cursed these five Territory Lords in his heart, but there was nothing more he could do.
If they split up and acted independently, Yang Kai could still find a way to break through and pick them off one by one, but facing all five, he was strong in will, but weak in strength, frequently having to take risks to push them back, which only caused him to suffer more injuries.
As time passed, more and more Black Ink Clansmen emerged from the Barren Territory before quickly dispersing in all directions, ignoring the battle between Yang Kai and the five Territory Lords. In no time, their figures disappeared.
Yang Kai experienced a deep sense of despondence and silently understood that Wind Mist Territory was doomed.
The Human Race would no longer have a place in this Great Territory with so many Black Ink Clansmen arriving and scattering in all directions.
Just like a spark, the Black Ink Clan would set everything aflame with their Black Ink Strength. No Great Territory could resist now that the Black Ink Clan had breached the Barren Territory and were spreading out unchecked as the Human Army’s main force remained in the Barren Territory.
The Human Race had been at war with the Black Ink Clan for countless generations, losing innumerable lives in the process, but on this day, all those sacrifices were rendered pointless.
After today, there would be no peace in the 3,000 Worlds!
Filled with shame and resentment beyond words, Yang Kai’s movement became more and more vicious as all he could think about was butchering every single Black Ink Clansman who rushed out from the passage.
On the Barren Territory battlefield, the Human Race Army was equally at a loss when they saw the boundary wall being completely breached and endless Black Ink Clansmen streaming into it.
No matter how difficult things were previously, the Human Race Army was determined to fight the Black Ink Clan to the very end because they were fighting to protect the 3,000 Worlds and every Great Territory teeming with life.
However, when the boundary wall was completely breached, allowing the Black Ink Clan Army to flood out, the determination and Will that drove them previously ruptured as well.
At that moment, countless were at a loss on the battlefield.
Even the Old Ancestors unconsciously came to a halt.
Defeat!
The Human Race had lost.
Looking back to some 600 years ago, it seemed like victory was within their grasp. The goal to eradicate the Black Ink Clan and put an end to the threat they posed for millions of years was near at hand. They gathered more than 100 hundred Great Passes and the accumulated heritage of the Cave Heavens and Paradises from the past 100,000 years and launched a grand crusade to the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction.
However, outside of the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction, two Black Ink Giant Spirit Gods flanked them from opposite sides, causing the Humans to suffer their first defeat and forcing them to flee back to the No-Return Pass. While retreating, hundreds of thousands sacrificed their lives to protect their companions.
Despite gaining the assistance of the Dragons, Phoenixes, and several other Divine Spirits at the No-Return Pass, the Human Army still lost to the Black Ink Clan. After this second loss, they abandoned the No-Return Pass and retreated to the Barren Territory.
Now, after just 200 years of battle, the Black Ink Clan managed to break through the boundary wall and completely connected the Barren Territory with Wind Mist Territory.
At this moment, the Humans had been completely defeated, unable to recover from the invasion of the Black Ink Clan.
How did things end up like this?
No one could figure out the reason. The Human Race was not weak, and they had never underestimated the Black Ink Clan; but today, the Black Ink Clan had beaten them. Though the Human Army remained mighty, right now, they could do nothing but watch.
Disheartened, all the soldiers of the Human Race Army secretly wept.
At this moment, the Barren Territory battlefield that was once filled with chaos and death became utterly silent.
The only fight that continued was the one between Ah Er and his opponent. Their battle seemed like it would last until the Universe itself shattered and died. These two Giant Spirit Gods had not stopped ever since they first met. Even though it had already been 200 years, neither side seemed to have gained any kind of advantage.
Suddenly, someone pointed at the gap in the boundary wall and shouted, “Someone is blocking the Black Ink Clan Army!”
The Territory Gate had been substantially widened now, and the two Great Territories were entirely connected due to the arm of the Black Ink Giant Spirit God that stretched across the passageway, allowing the Humans in the Barren Territory to see the view on the opposite side, though the image was blurry thanks to the distortions of the Void.
Just as all of the soldiers on the Barren Territory battlefield were losing the will to fight, they realised there was still someone attempting to stop the Black Ink Clan Army on the opposite side of Wind Mist Territory.
And it was just one person!
This one unknown person had killed millions, causing blood to flow like rivers.
Across the passage, black blood and Black Ink Strength almost flood the entire void.
This discovery soon spread as more and more soldiers looked up to see the scenario in Wind Mist Territory.
They didn’t know who this person was, but they certainly knew that they were fighting alone, with no signs of backing down or becoming discouraged.
Seeing this, all of them couldn’t help but feel ashamed.
That one individual was still fighting on while they, the grandest Army the Human Race had ever assembled, had already given up.
It was as if a spark had been lit and was now setting their hearts aflame with the burning desire for victory. The courage and Will to resist that had almost died moments ago was stimulated once more and the need to take action spurred all of them on.
They were the guardians of the 3,000 Worlds and the Human Race, fighting against the Black Ink Clan on the Black Ink Battlefield and fending off the invasion of the Black Ink Clan.
The sky was truly falling, but if they, the tallest and strongest did not rise to hold it up, who would?
The 3,000 Worlds was home to their Master Sects, their families, their descendants, and everyone they knew and loved. In a battlefield unknown to ordinary people, they constructed an impregnable line of defence with their own flesh and bones, sheltering the entire Human race.
If they admitted defeat, it would be the end.
“The Human Race will never surrender!” Suddenly, someone lifted his long sword and yelled furiously; his voice rang out across the void as his World Force.
That shout was followed by another, then another, and another…
“Never surrender!”
The shouts erupted one after the other, forming a torrent that shook the Universe.
The previously dejected ambience now burned anew.
The Black Ink Giant Spirit God guarding the passageway was first fascinated by the Human Race Army’s hopelessness and grief, as this was something it had never witnessed before, it was extremely intriguing.
But just as it was preparing to stir up trouble to further suppress the Humans, they suddenly regained their fighting spirit and determination, even pushing it to new heights.
The Black Ink Giant Spirit God was taken aback by what it saw and frowned as it gave it some thought before turning to look at the Territory Gate. Using its vision that could penetrate the Void, it saw a lone Human figure fighting against the Territory Lords in Wind Mist Territory.
[The Humans changed so drastically because of him?]
The Black Ink Giant Spirit God was suddenly enraged. If it had known this would happen, it would have gone all out to murder this annoying Human back in the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land.
Even if the Human Race did not know who was obstructing the Black Ink Clan in Wind Mist Territory, the Black Ink Giant Spirit God did.
Not only did it know, but the Ninth-Order Old Ancestors all understood who it was on the other side.
The shift in the mentality of the whole Army had also shaken the Ninth-Order Old Ancestors out of their daze. Nobody could have imagined that one person’s effort and persistence would inspire the fighting spirit of the entire Race.
Even they, who had lived for countless years, seemed to have become younger at this moment, with enthusiasm surging in their hearts.
“The young ones are indeed energetic, no?” A Ninth-Order Old Ancestor suddenly said.
“Yes. There is hope for the Human Race with youngsters like these.”
“We were like that once, it’s a shame that the years have dulled me so.”
It was not simply due to their old age, but also the constant weight of their responsibilities. Their existences were burdened by their Sects, their Passes, and their entire Race, disallowing them to be as carefree as they were when they were young.
“Who among you has the courage to be young and passionate with me once again?” With a grin, the oldest and most respected Old Ancestor asked. This Old Ancestor was born in Pure Yang Cave Heaven and had lived the longest among all living Old Ancestors. Before many Ninth-Order Old Ancestors present here were born, he was already a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
In terms of age, he could even be considered an ancestor among all Ninth-Order Old Ancestors.
“It should have been like this a long time ago. Ever since I ascended to the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm and started guarding the Black Ink Battlefield, my spirit has grown dull. Every move had to be made with innumerable considerations for all possibilities. When was the last time I simply took action? All I wanted in my life was to be happy and unrestrained.”
“Indeed, indeed.”
“Stop being so long-winded. Those who are truly young act as soon as the words leave their mouths. How can you sentimental old farts be considered young?”
The Ninth-Order Old Ancestors were shouting frantically, losing their prudence, as if they were actually a bunch of immature youngsters who were oblivious to the immensity of Heaven and Earth.
Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao on the other hand just smiled and brushed a lock of hair back behind her ear, “You old farts, acting like a bunch of immature brats here. Only Wu Qing and I could be counted as youths in terms of age, how could you be considered young now that you’ve all got one foot in the grave already?”
Wu Qing, the former Yin-Yang Pass Southern Army Commander, who ascended to the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm about 1,000 years ago, had succeeded Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao in guarding Yin-Yang Pass. Only then did Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao have the opportunity to lead the Great Evolution Army to recapture the Great Evolution Pass.
If there wasn’t a new Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to take over, Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao would never have been able to leave Yin-Yang Pass.
Upon hearing her remarks, Wu Qing, who was pale-faced and injured, nodded, agreeing with her that he was indeed the youngest member of all the Ninth-Order Old Ancestors. Regarding Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao’s age, while it was unclear whether she was the second youngest or not, who would have the audacity to argue with a woman about her age?
Immediately, another Old Ancestor laughed and said, “Xiao Yue Ya is right. We are indeed all old. You young people are our hope and future, so you and Wu Qing should stay back.”
The smile immediately vanished from Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao’s face as she protested angrily, “Why?”
The oldest Pure Yang Cave Heaven Old Ancestor responded with a smile, “Someone must remain to provide the youngsters with a protector and give them time to mature, or are you going to depend on us old men to do so if you two don’t stay back?”
Displeased, Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao remarked, “Never mind about Wu Qing. I won’t stay back.”
The Old Ancestor of Great Battle Cave Heaven shook his head, “The future of the Human Race lies with the Star Boundary and Yang Kai. Among all Old Ancestors, you are the closest to him, so it only makes sense for you to remain behind and watch over him and the Star Boundary.”
Saying so, he transformed into a streak of light and headed towards the Black Ink Giant Spirit God as the sword in his hand shook slightly, not wanting to wait for Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao’s response.
Just as Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao was about to object, another Old Ancestor walked past her and patted her on the shoulder, “I will leave those useless disciples of Xuan Yuan Cave Heaven to you.”
Then, he transformed into a bird of light and flashed away.
“Why not give us old folks one last opportunity to shine?” Another Old Ancestor grinned and added.
While laughing, he proceeded to chase after the two Ninth-Order Old Ancestors.
Like moths to a flame, the Ninth-Order Old Ancestors rushed by Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao and Wu Qing one after another as they charged straight in the direction of the Black Ink Giant Spirit God boldly, showing no signs of hesitation or regrets.
In an instant, Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao’s vision blurred. Her body trembled, as if she was attempting to go after them; however, her feet appeared to be weighted down, preventing her from moving.
After all, the Old Ancestor of Pure Yang Cave Heaven was right; someone had to stay behind to protect the young ones. Wu Qing was selected by the Ninth-Order Old Ancestors because he had just ascended to the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm, whereas Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao was chosen because of her relationship with Yang Kai.
There was no prior discussion, simply an agreement made by all the other Old Ancestors in the moment.
There was also no room for refusal or objection.
She and Wu Qing were forced to carry this burden by the older ones, leaving them no chance to argue.
After the Ninth-Order Old Ancestors left, Dragon roars and Phoenix cries resounded throughout the void as a majestic and awe-inspiring sight appeared before everyone’s eyes. Surging with the might of Divine Spirits, the leaders of the Dragon Clan and Phoenix Clan unleashed their might as they soared over, causing both Time and Space to contort.
By now, Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao’s eyes were utterly soaked in tears.
Wu Qing, whose face was no less wet, cupped his fist and shouted loudly, “This Junior will not disappoint your expectations!”
Without looking back, he turned and ordered, “Withdraw the Army!”
At this moment, ‘crippled and defeated’ was the most straightforward way of describing the Human Army.
Outside the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction, the Humans were defeated for the first time and forced to retreat to the No-Return Pass.
At the No-Return Pass, they were again defeated and retreated to the Barren Territory.
This time was their third defeat!
It wasn’t that Wu Qing and Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao didn’t want to stand and fight to the bitter end, nor did the Human Race Army want to retreat; however, even if they desired to do so, the only option they had at this moment was to withdraw to the 3,000 Worlds.
Simply put, dying in battle might be glorious and honourable, but what about the day after? Should the future be buried along them as well? Admitting defeat and escaping was certainly shameful, but only by living on could hope endure.
In the present situation, living was undoubtedly the more difficult choice. Perhaps death in battle could be a relief to them, ending all their troubles. The survivors, on the other hand, would have to bear heavier burdens.
To preserve hope for the future, it did not matter if they had to endure this humiliation.
As a result, Wu Qing decisively ordered a full withdrawal of the Army. The fact that the Black Ink Clan Army was pouring into the Wind Mist Territory from the Territory Gate and invading the 3,000 Worlds could not be reversed. Instead of allowing the Human Race’s current limited strength to be completely destroyed on this battlefield, it was wiser to live with this humiliation and blood feud. One day, sooner or later, they would make the Black Ink Clan experience 100 times the pain they endured today.
Nobody knew how much it pained Wu Qing to order this retreat, but if one had looked closely, they would see his fist clenched so tightly that fresh blood was drawn from his palms.
Although the fighting spirit and determination of the Army had been reignited by Yang Kai, the Army Commanders did not let the blood rush to their heads and swiftly organized the march to the Territory Gate leading to the Shattered Heaven under the command of Wu Qing. The Black Ink Clan did not pursue them either because there was simply no need to. All they had to do now was to rush into Wind Mist Territory and then wreak havoc.
Chaotic energy impacts and violent shockwaves stuck from the armies’ backs, yet nobody dared to turn around to witness the heartbreaking scene.
Regardless, they could all feel the withering of extremely strong auras without having to turn to look.
With the exception of Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao and Wu Qing, all 35 of the remaining Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters of the Human Race died in battle that day.
Both the Dragon Clan and Phoenix Clan leaders of this generation died as well.
The Barren Territory was filled with mournful Dragons and Phoenixes’ cries.
However, such devastating losses were not in vain.
In that great battle, 44 Royal Lords of the Black Ink Clan perished, along with several million Black Ink Clansmen.
As for the Black Ink Giant Spirit God holding open the Territory Gate, it was also severely injured, its infuriated roars ringing so loudly that they could clearly be heard in neighbouring Wind Mist Territory.
It could be said that the war for the Barren Territory was the most tragic battle between the two Races.
Even though the two Races suffered heavy losses in both the battle outside the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction and at the No-Return Pass, this was undoubtedly the most tragic one. One after another, the injured Ninth-Order Masters and the Royal Lords fell. Never before had there been so many lives of such powerful Masters lost in such a short time.
After the dust settled, Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao and Wu Qing were the only Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters of the Human Race that remained.
On the Black Ink Clan side, only two Royal Lords remained. One guarding the No-Return Pass, while the other had charged into Wind Mist Territory before the final battle.
All the Ninth-Order Masters entered this final battle to drag down the Royal Lords with them.
They understood that in order to give the youngsters an opportunity to grow, there couldn’t be too many top Masters on the enemy’s side; however, in order to kill the Royal Lords, they had to put their lives on the line.
With such a mentality, and knowing what the end result would be, they still went forth boldly without hesitation or regrets.
The outcome was indeed quite fruitful. Even though they were outnumbered, the Old Ancestors struck with such speed and ferocity, catching the enemy completely off guard, that they managed to eliminate almost all of the Royal Lords. In fact, if not for the Black Ink Giant Spirit God, at least 10 of them could have survived.
All of the Ninth-Order Masters that went to war that day, however, perished due to the Black Ink Giant Spirit God’s interference.
After that battle, the Black Ink Clan and the Human Race both had essentially depleted their top combatants.
Besides the Old Ancestors and the Royal Lords, the Human Race still had Ah Er, a Giant Spirit God, Fu Guang, the Divine Dragon who became the new leader of the Dragon Clan, and another Giant Spirit God, Ah Da, whose current whereabouts were unknown.
On the other hand, the Black Ink Clan was left with two Royal Lords, one of which was seriously injured, and two Black Ink Giant Spirit Gods, again one of which was badly injured.
It could be said that the majority of challenges that the Human Race would face in the immediate future had been eliminated by the sacrifice of the Ninth-Order Old Ancestors. As for the longer future, the youngsters would have to take care of that for themselves.
The Barren Territory was a battle of significant impact, a battle that changed the status quo of both the Human Race and the Black Ink Clan. After this war, word about Black Ink Strength could no longer be kept a secret and quickly spread throughout the Great Territories, sparking terror for some time. Fortunately, the vast Human Army had retreated from the Barren Territory. Under the command of Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao and Wu Qing and soon split up into numerous Divisions that were deployed to the various Great Territories to maintain control of the situation and begin evacuations. Even the Great Territories occupied by the Cave Heavens and Paradises would soon be emptied out.
At this point, Wu Qing’s decision to withdraw the Army had proven to be the correct one, because enough troops had been preserved to implement this mass-migration.
Since all these cultivators had personally taken part in the battle against the Black Ink Clan and were aware of how bizarre and difficult to handle Black Ink Strength was, none of them slacked or dallied in this task, working as swiftly and diligently as possible.
Three months later, a few hundred Masters returned from a bloody journey to Void Territory.
Among these people, led by the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider Zhu Jiu Yan, were people like Yang Kai’s Wives Yu Ru Meng and Su Yan, Great Emperors like Iron Blood Zhan Wu Hen, rising stars like Li Wu Yi, and Yang Kai’s friends who he met in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary like Xiang Ying, Fang Yue, and Yang Kai’s subordinates like Hui Gu, Luan Bai Feng, and more.
Even the Dragon Clan members from the Star Boundary’s Dragon Island returned for the first time since they left for the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land to cultivate.
Because these individuals shared the same origin, they were all integrated into the Great Evolution Army by Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao before being divided into various Divisions and Battalions on the Barren Territory battlefield.
Divisions like theirs could be found throughout the Great Territories now.
Old Man Bi Xi could feel the aura of these people soon after they entered Void Territory and so he swiftly opened the Nine Heavenly Layers Grand Array to let them in.
After learning the result of war in the Barren Territory from Zhu Jiu Yin, Old Man Bi Xi sighed heavily, “Yang Kai’s words were prophetic indeed. This day has really come.”
Then, Yu Ru Meng asked in surprise, “Senior, you spoke with that little bastard?”
Old Man Bi Xi nodded, “Yang Kai once returned and told me to take care of it if Void Land needed to be relocated.”
He did question Yang Kai about the severity of the situation on that day, but the latter simply said it was a precaution.
But, looking back, Yang Kai probably had a vague premonition of what was going to happen today, or else he wouldn’t have made such a solemn request.
Turning his head, Old Man Bi Xi said to Xiao Hei, “Tell Lu Xue and Chen Tian Fei to prepare.”
Xiao Hei nodded and left upon hearing this command.
With Yang Kai’s previous warning, Void Land had gotten adequately prepared, so when the time came to evacuate, they could depart at a moment’s notice, bringing along those from Void Star City and even the other Great Forces from Void Territory.
Gritting his teeth, Yang Kai fled through the void as Space Principles undulated.
Behind him was a Royal Lord who was hot on his heels, attacking Yang Kai with various Secret Techniques, forcing him to dodge from side to side.
Yang Kai was unaware of the state of the battle in the Barren Territory and was also unaware that the last of the Ninth-Order Old Ancestors died with the Royal Lords of the Black Ink Clan to pave the future pathway for the Human Race. The only remaining Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were Wu Qing and Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao.
He didn’t even know that the Human Army had evacuated from the Barren Territory as he was currently running for his life!
Previously, he was single-handedly intercepting and killing the Black Ink Clansmen flooding out from the Barren Territory battlefield into Wind Mist Territory. Under his attacks, Heaven and Earth quivered, and the blood of his enemies flowed and pooled into an ocean.
The Black Ink Clan was naturally enraged by his actions, and immediately, a Royal Lord passed through the passageway and entered Wind Mist Territory.
Yang Kai dared not hesitate once he sensed the Royal Lord’s aura, so without pause, he turned and fled.
Although he had killed the sheep-headed Royal Lord by himself outside the Great Sea Celestial Phenomenon, Yang Kai knew that was due to the multiple coincidences and accidents that aided him.
Even so, Yang Kai had to use four Soul Rending Thorns in quick succession in that battle, which caused his consciousness to become vague and blurry, so he wasn’t even sure how he killed the sheep-headed Royal Lord. All he knew was that when he regained his senses, he was already holding the head of the sheep-headed Royal Lord.
Although his strength had significantly improved since then, Yang Kai understood that he was still not capable of defeating a Royal Lord in a conventional battle.
When he was young and weak, he had experienced being hunted down by Masters far stronger than him, but what frustrated him so was that even after reaching the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm, and becoming extremely powerful, he was still being chased after and hunted by more powerful Masters.
At this point, only Royal Lords and Black Ink Giant Spirit Gods were strong enough to defeat Yang Kai, but he had actually experienced such situations twice in just a few hundred years.
As he was escaping this time, Yang Kai secretly swore that after he ascended to the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm, he would hunt down lone Royal Lords and give them a taste of their own medicine!
While he was still a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he could barely escape from the sheep-headed Royal Lord with the aid of Purifying Light, but now that he was in the Eighth-Order, his situation was significantly better, even without the assistance of Purifying Light.
In other words, though he might not be the Royal Lord’s opponent, without the strength or ability to isolate space, it would purely be a dream for such a Master to want to kill Yang Kai.
‘Flee if unable to put up a fight’ was a principle Yang Kai had been living by and implementing throughout his entire life.
However, it was still difficult to shake off a Royal Lord. Without the aid from the Purifying Light, there was no way for Yang Kai to isolate himself from the Royal Lord’s aura with his strength alone.
That was not to say he couldn’t escape, but Yang Kai had some reservations about doing so. The current situation was not only because he was not as strong as the opponent, but also because he had other intentions as well.
What worried Yang Kai was Wind Mist Territory. Although he had previously stopped and slain numerous Black Ink Clansmen, many more managed to escape.
Now that he was gone, the Black Ink Clan Army would undoubtedly charge right in.
He knew that Wind Mist Territory was likely to fall in short order, and the catastrophe would subsequently expand to the nearby Great Territories.
Yang Kai could only hope that the Human Race would be able to react quickly and effectively as he no longer had any control over problems relating to the survival of the entire Race.
In the midst of fleeing and dodging attacks, Yang Kai took a glance back and noticed that this Royal Lord was nearly as strong as the sheep-headed Royal Lord he previously met. Both of them were Innate Royal Lords directly created by Mo, unlike Mo Zhao from Great Evolution Theatre, who cultivated to that realm step by step.
The strength of this sort of Innate Royal Lords was exceedingly strong from the moment they were born, equivalent to the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters; however, the one drawback was that their strength was essentially fixed at birth, unable to develop any further.
Both the Innate Royal Lords and Innate Territory Lords were the same.
It could be said that all Innate Territory Lords had no possibility of ascending to become Royal Lords. Although they were born with the combat power on par with the strongest Eighth-Order Human Masters, they did not have the chance to advance further.
One would know that just by observing Territory Lord Che Kong, who was an Innate Territory Lord killed by Yang Kai. Che Kong had been born hundreds of thousands of years ago, yet he remained a Territory Lord.
Everything had its pros and cons. Even an ancient supreme entity like Mo could not resolve such issues.
This Royal Lord was not particularly large, so if it weren’t for the surging of Black Ink Strength from him, he would not appear much different from an ordinary Human.
He attacked Yang Kai the moment he emerged from the Territory Gate on the command of the Black Ink Giant Spirit God. Initially, this Royal Lord thought this would be a simple task, but he never expected that this Eighth-Order Human would be as slippery as an eel, with each of his attempts to capture Yang Kai failing miserably.
The Royal Lord raged after some time of pursuing Yang Kai, vowing in his heart to rip this annoying Human to pieces the moment he caught him.
Yang Kai had no idea how the battle in the Barren Territory was progressing, but neither did the Royal Lord. He had no idea that pursuing Yang Kai actually helped him escape death.
Because it was only moments after he crossed the boundary wall that the Ninth-Order Old Ancestors of the Human Race launched their attack and killed off all other Royal Lords!
Great Territory after Great Territory, he pursued Yang Kai.
The Royal Lord couldn’t help but marvel as he passed through the flourishing Great Territories where he beheld the stunning and picturesque sights.
Since the day he was born, he had lived inside the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction, where there was only endless Black Ink Strength and darkness. Afterwards, despite the Black Ink Clan Army’s entry into the Barren Territory, it was completely empty with not even a dead Universe World to be seen.
He had never witnessed a spectacle as breathtaking as this.
Particularly in those Universe Worlds, where the World Force was exceedingly rich. The World Force in those Universe Worlds was nothing less than the most delectable banquet for a Royal Lord like him. The aroma of it wafted from afar to his olfactory senses, tempting him to rush over to devour it.
But, he suppressed his inner thrills and continued to pursue Yang Kai all while picturing the wonderful scenario in his head of when the Black Ink Clan Army eventually conquered the 3,000 Worlds.
With these many prosperous Great Territories serving as their base, the Black Ink Clan would undoubtedly grow rapidly, and by that time, the whole 3,000 Worlds would transform into a strong source of nourishment for the Black Ink Clan.
After the Humans had been entirely defeated and the number of Royal Lords had reached a certain number, they could return to the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction to free Mo.
However, finishing the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master under his nose was currently the most urgent issue. The Royal Lord’s icy eyes glared at the fleeing figure in front of him, and his pace increased by another 30% as his Black Ink Strength surged.
Yang Kai seemed to flee like a stray dog being chased, but in reality he could keep pace with the Royal Lord quite easily. Space Principles flared from time to time as he travelled through the Territory Gates and Great Territories one after another while leading the pursuer behind him.
After a year, Yang Kai finally slowed down, much to the joy of the Royal Lord, who had been pursuing him day and night as he assumed that Yang Kai had finally run out of energy.
Over these days of pursuit, the Royal Lord had used up a lot of his energy too, so nothing more need be said about a mere Eighth-Order Human.
In fact, it was astonishing that Yang Kai could persist for so long.
The distance between them continued to narrow before a Territory Gate came into view. The Royal Lord judged from the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master’s direction that he intended to cross this Territory Gate next.
The Royal Lord had had enough of this chase, so he pushed his strength and unleashed a Secret Technique, allowing him to condense a hand from pure Black Ink Strength that reached out to seize Yang Kai from a distance.
Soon after, Yang Kai was tightly gripped in the palm of the powerful hand.
The screams of that Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master were like music to the ears of the Royal Lord, but suddenly, the Human sprang up and broke free from the black gigantic hand as a burst of light blazed. Immediately after, Yang Kai flashed away into the Territory Gate in front of them.
The Royal Lord was furious as his prey managed to escape again, despite having been captured. Unable to tolerate it, he followed Yang Kai and recklessly plunged into the Territory Gate.
The Royal Lord had experienced such situations many times along the way. He was initially extremely cautious since he was afraid that Yang Kai would ambush him on the other side of the Territory Gates, but since that had never happened, he was no longer on alert.
Because there was a significant strength disparity, plotting an ambush was pointless; the only sensible course of action was to flee.
This time, however, after entering the Great Territory on the other side of the Territory Gate, the Royal Lord immediately sensed something strange.
There were extremely violent energy fluctuations clashing with one another here. Two types of energy appeared to have very different Elements. They continually clashed and ground against each other in a seemingly endless struggle.
The Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master that he had been pursuing was nearby too, looking a little stunned.
And Yang Kai was indeed stunned.
The reason he led the Royal Lord who was chasing him all the way here from Wind Mist Territory was not because he was escaping randomly, but rather because there were allies here who could bring down this Royal Lord.
Two of them, in fact!
This was the Chaotic Dead Territory, the home of the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer.
Yang Kai originally intended to come to the Chaotic Dead Territory to request Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan to descend the mountain and help save the 3,000 Worlds, but since a Royal Lord had been pursuing him, Yang Kai felt the best place to lead him was here.
However, Yang Kai was shocked by what he discovered when he arrived at the Chaotic Dead Territory.
Two gigantic armies were battling against one another in the endless void, fighting a war that was no less intense than the battle between the Humans and the Black Ink Clan on the Black Ink Battlefield. Each Army here had millions of soldiers and their clash was so intense that space itself shook, seemingly on the verge of breaking apart, leaving behind endless fields of corpses.
The two armies appeared to be stone-like statues rather than living beings of flesh and blood, very different in both size and strength compared to the Small Stone Race Yang Kai was familiar with.
Among them were the top combatants, whose auras were actually on par with Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters! These giant stone figures each had a body no less than 1,000 metres tall, making them exceptionally conspicuous on the battlefield.
Although these two grand armies appeared to be of the same Race and shared a similar appearance, the energy and power they wielded were diametrically opposed.
The power held by one of the grand armies was blazing hot; the moment they lifted their hands, it was like a flaming Sun had risen into the sky, shining with such blazing heat that the void seemed to melt under it. The other army held a power that was icy cold and as they activated their Secret Techniques, a crescent Moon appeared and cast its frigid glow onto the void, acting as the nemesis of that flaming Sun.
Both the blazing Suns and the crescent Moons melted into nothingness one after another, creating an endless cycle that was both shocking and breathtaking.
The two armies fighting each other were also quite distinct. Each had a different emblem on their chests, one was a Sun and the other a crescent Moon, which perfectly corresponded to their respective strengths.
When Yang Kai entered this place and saw these two strange armies, his mind went completely blank.
[What the Hell are these things? When did the Chaotic Dead Territory come to have these things?]
[Where is Big Brother Huang? Where is Big Sister Lan?]
Upon closer inspection though, Yang Kai could actually find some resemblance between the Small Stone Race and the soldiers of these two armies. But compared to the Small Stone Race he had raised in his Small Universe, the ones in front of him were undoubtedly larger and their strength was also incomparable.
[Could…could they be the Small Stone Race I left behind?]
Yang Kai found it a little hard to believe.
When Yang Kai had visited the Chaotic Dead Territory in the past, he gifted some of the Small Stone Race in his Small Universe to Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan so they could use them to resolve the dispute that had plagued them since the dawn of their existence, who was the Big Brother or Big Sister. Instead of fighting personally, the two supreme existences would raise armies of Small Stone Race and then have them battle it out to determine the winner and loser between them.
Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan found this solution very appealing and over several years, the two had both racked up numerous wins, earning the privilege of being the older sibling until they were defeated.
Yang Kai too had gained quite a lot from this experience. The Yellow and Blue Crystals he had taken to the Black Ink Battlefield had all been obtained from the Chaotic Dead Territory, and over the years, he had used Purifying Light condensed from those crystals to save countless Human soldiers who had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength.
If it weren’t for the fact that he had spent a decade escaping a Royal Lord, and then another 4,000 years in the Great Sea Celestial Phenomenon cultivating, the Yellow and Blue Crystals he had would not have been used up so quickly.
To Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan, the battle between millions of the Small Stone Race was nothing more than a simple game, a way to more peacefully and conclusively settle their issues.
But now, after 1,000 years, these Small Stone Race members seemed to have undergone some kind of inexplicable change.
Looking at the Small Stone Race members raised in his Small Universe, and then at the two armies of Small Stone Race members currently engaged in an epic war that spanned as far as they could see, Yang Kai really wanted to ask those two how they raised them.
Among the Small Stone Race in Yang Kai’s Small Universe, the strongest ones were only about the height of an ordinary Human and had the strength of an Initial Element or Qi Transformation Realm cultivator, certainly more powerful than a mere mortal, but still an ant compared to true Masters. On the other hand, the most powerful beings here were more than 1,000 metres tall and every part of their body was emanating a fierce and majestic might that was in no way inferior to an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
If these two armies were to leave this place on a mission of conquest, no single Sect in the 3,000 Worlds would be able to stop them, not even the Cave Heavens or Paradises. In fact, these armies would even be able to put up a fight against a Black Ink Clan Army of similar size.
But after recalling how the true source of the Yellow and Blue Crystals, Yang Kai no longer found it strange for the Small Stone Race under the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer to undergo such a transformation.
Yang Kai first discovered the Small Stone Race in a New Great Territory connected to the Star Boundary. It was a Race that no one had ever seen before.
The Small Stone Race were very similar to ants in that they had a strict and clear hierarchy. As long as there was an existence similar to an ant queen and ample resources, this Race could rapidly multiply and flourish.
Their demand for resources was extremely low as well as anything with energy could become food for them.
The reason why Yang Kai had raised many Small Stone Race members in his Small Universe was because the benefits each individual of this Race provided in terms of generating World Force were about 10 times the benefits of an ordinary Human.
The time flow of his Small Universe was much faster than the outside world. In other words, if he raised many Small Stone Race, it would save him a lot of time in cultivation and allow his strength to rapidly increase.
After ascending to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, Yang Kai broke through to the Seventh-Order in only about 300 years, with a lot of credit being due to the Small Stone Race.
In fact, his breakthrough to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm was not only because of the Great Sea Celestial Phenomenon but also because of the proliferation of the Small Stone Race.
Be that as it may, Yang Kai didn’t dare to allow the Small Stone Race to develop too much. The Small Stone Race in his Small Universe had always been maintained in a stable range, because once their numbers reached a certain limit, the demand for resources would become too much to bear and some thinning would be required.
Such a problem was obviously non-existent for Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan.
In terms of resources, the Chaotic Dead Territory was the most abundant place in the 3,000 worlds, with Yellow and Blue Crystals literally floating around the void as they were simply the remnants formed from the clash between the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer’s energy.
In other words, if these two were willing, they could allow the Small Stone Race to expand almost without end. Clearly, after 1,000 years of such rapid evolution, the Small Stone Race in the Chaotic Dead Territory had developed to the point where elites comparable to Eighth-Order Masters had emerged from their ranks.
Yang Kai had come to the Chaotic Dead Territory for two reasons. Firstly, to ask Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan to leave the Chaotic Dead Territory, and secondly, to deal with the tail chasing him.
But as soon as he entered this place, the sight of two Small Stone Race armies fighting with each other really caught Yang Kai by surprise.
[By the looks of it, Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan’s game is still ongoing, and it has already developed to such a ridiculous state.]
By the time he figured out the reason behind these changes, the Royal Lord had caught up to him.
Just as Yang Kai was about to continue fleeing though, a sudden and unexpected change occurred.
The two Small Stone Race armies that were engaged in a fierce battle suddenly all stopped fighting the moment the Royal Lord appeared. All of the Small Stone Race members, regardless of their height or strength, turned their eyes towards the Royal Lord, as if they were drawn in by some kind of irresistible force.
The next instant, the 1,000-metre tall Small Stone Race members roared angrily towards the sky and beat their chest with both hands, sending pieces of rocks flying off everywhere, before charging straight towards the Royal Lord.
Yang Kai could clearly see unbridled hatred burning in the Small Stone Race’s eyes.
The two armies instantly converged into two torrents of Yin and Yang that crashed into the Royal Lord.
The Royal Lord was enraged.
He was already in a foul mood after having failed to catch Yang Kai time and time again for over a year, so when the two Small Stone Race armies started pestering him for no reason, how could he tolerate it?
A thick wave of Black Ink Strength surged from him, transforming into a vast Black Ink Cloud that covered a massive stretch of the void. The wave of Black Ink Strength ripped the Small Stone Race members to pieces. Even the Small Stone Race members that were 1,000 metres tall couldn’t withstand this kind of force for more than a few breaths before they were broken apart.
Nonetheless, the two armies courageously pressed forward like moths to a flame, soon surrounding the Black Ink Ocean in multiple layers, as if they were not afraid of death.
From the start, the Small Stone Race didn’t fear death. Firstly, they didn’t have the cognizance to do so as their intelligence was too low for that and this trait seemed to have remained unchanged, even if the strength of the Small Stone Race in the Chaotic Dead Territory far exceeded that of their ordinary clansmen. Secondly, this kind of slaughter was just a day-to-day occurrence to them.
Normally, the Small Stone Race armies would keep fighting and never retreat a single step unless Big Brother Huang or Big Sister Lan gave the order to withdraw.
Even when they were facing the Royal Lord right now, the thought of backing down never crossed their minds.
More and more Small Stone Race members were sent flying as bits and pieces of rock almost filled the entire void.
The fearless charge of the Small Stone Race members sent the Black Ink Clan Royal Lord into a fury and he kept attacking them without mercy. Amid this fierce battle, he tried using his Black Ink Strength to corrupt these strange creatures and turn them into his slaves, but after a few attempts, he was shocked to discover that Black Ink Strength, which had terrorized the Human Race for millions of years, was completely ineffective against these ignorant creatures.
This left the Royal Lord perplexed, wondering what the Hell these things were.
Much to his shock and dismay, there were living beings in this world who could completely ignore Black Ink Strength! Even Divine Spirits like the Dragons and Phoenixes only showed a strong resistance against Black Ink Strength, but could not totally disregard it.
These creatures had wildly varying strength, and they looked as if they were made from stone and had no flesh or blood.
The Royal Lord even saw many Small Stone Race members cannibalizing the corpses of their fallen comrades, grabbing bits and pieces of rocks and tossing them into their mouths before chewing and swallowing. Soon after, the aura of those particular Small Stone Race members grew stronger…
Yang Kai was somewhat surprised by the actions of the two Small Stone Race armies until suddenly, he recalled his second visit to the Chaotic Dead Territory.
At that time, he had come here in hopes of finding a solution to the corruption of Human cultivators by Black Ink Strength. It was then that he had obtained the Great Sun and Great Moon Marks. Using these two marks on the backs of his hands, Yang Kai could extract the power of the Yellow and Blue Crystals to create Purifying Light.
Back then, Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan showed obvious looks of disgust when they sensed Black Ink Strength.
Back then, Yang Kai had not come into contact with many ancient secrets as his strength was low. He did not have a clear idea of the situation back then, but now he had some idea.
If the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer really were related to the Primordial Light, it was only natural for them to hate and reject Black Ink Strength, as Black Ink Strength was the Primordial Darkness opposite the Primordial Light. Basically, Black Ink Strength and Purifying Light, which was based on Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan’s power, opposed and countered each other.
This was probably the reason why Purifying Light could dispel Black Ink Strength.
The Small Stone Race, which had inherited these two strengths, naturally had an instinctive hostility towards Black Ink Strength. That was why, the moment the Royal Lord appeared in the Chaotic Dead Territory, the two Small Stone Race armies, who were locked in a fierce battle against each other, stopped fighting and attacked the Royal Lord, driven by their instincts.
After sacrificing many of their companions, the two armies split up and surrounded the Royal Lord.
Furthermore, as these two armies had inherited the power of Burning Light and Serene Glimmer, from a distance, it looked as if they had transformed into a giant Yin-Yang symbol that enveloped the massive Black Ink Cloud.
Be that as it may, these two armies couldn’t stop this Royal Lord, and if given enough time, the latter would surely be able to wipe these Small Stone Race members eventually.
At this moment, Yang Kai suddenly felt the back of his hands become hot. When he looked down, he saw that the Great Sun and Great Moon Marks that generally remained hidden had appeared on their own.
At this moment, Yang Kai had a stroke of inspiration.
The next instant, he fiercely stretched his hands out. A wave of World Force fluctuations spread out from him as two enormous illusory palms emerged from his hands. As he curled his fingers and pulled his hands closer, causing the two enormous palms to mimic his actions, enclosing the battlefield in the centre.
Great Sun and Great Moon Marks had also appeared on the back of the giant palms, and each mark was equally massive.
The Yin-Yang fish that had enclosed that enormous Black Ink Cloud also changed at this moment. Under the guidance of the two marks, streams of energy emerged from the Small Stone Race members before fusing together.
The next moment, an extremely pure white light began to bloom within the darkness. In an instant, the white light lit up the entire void like it was high noon.
Purifying Light!
Usually, Yang Kai displayed Purifying Light that could disperse Black Ink Strength by drawing on Yellow and Blue Crystals with the help of the two great marks.
Although he didn’t have any Yellow or Blue Crystals with him now, the Small Stone Race members on the battlefield were equivalent to pieces of the Yellow and Blue Crystals.
Yang Kai had never used Purifying Light on such a huge scale. With the support of the Yin and Yang Elements of the two Small Stone Race armies, this Purifying Light seemed capable of illuminating the entire Chaotic Dead Territory.
The thick Black Ink Cloud began to rapidly evaporate under the brilliance of the pure white light, revealing the hidden Royal Lord whose face was filled with shock, obviously unable to understand what just happened.
The unstoppable Black Ink Strength that struck terror into the hearts of the Human Race and all other living beings was actually restrained by some other force!
The Royal Lord was immediately struck with panic.
Under the guidance of the Great Sun and Great Moon Marks, the two armies of different attributes interweaved together, chasing after each other in a circle like a giant millstone. Every time the Yin-Yang Millstone completed a circle, Black Ink Strength surrounding the Royal Lord’s body would be ground away.
As a large part of the energy was drained from the Small Stone Race members, they quickly shrunk back to their normal size.
The Royal Lord, on the other hand, increased the pace of his merciless onslaught. No Small Stone Race member was able to approach within a 100-kilometre radius of him, owing to his surging Black Ink Strength.
But after a short while, the Royal Lord felt his strength rapidly depleting. Only now did he catch sight of Yang Kai in the distance and understand that he was behind all of this.
This sent the Royal Lord into a frenzy. He let out a fierce roar as his Humanoid body suddenly ballooned into a hideous giant. The next moment, he forcefully broke out of the encirclement of the two Small Stone Race armies by relying on his profound strength and charged straight towards Yang Kai.
Be that as it may, his aura was unstable at the moment, clearly having taken a huge hit under the Purifying Light.
Nonetheless, Yang Kai had no intention of fighting him to the death. When he saw the Royal Lord break out of the encirclement, he simply turned around and ran while shouting, “Big Brother Huang, Big Sister Lan, your Little Brother is in danger! Save me!”
The relentlessly pursuing Royal Lord furrowed his brow after hearing this. He had no idea what was so special about this ‘Big Brother Huang’ and ‘Big Sister Lan’ that Yang Kai was requesting for their help, but anger was now blinding him so the only thing on his mind was to catch Yang Kai and tear him to pieces to calm his rage.
In the Chaotic Dead Territory, it wasn’t just two armies that were fighting each other, there were in fact many other armies fighting each other as well.
These armies varied in size and numbers, ranging from a few thousand to even a few million. It was just that the two armies that Yang Kai saw just after entering the Chaotic Dead Territory were comparatively larger.
At first, Yang Kai was already surprised by the fact that Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan had raised armies like these two, but to his astonishment, he learned that what he saw was just a small part of their forces.
By the looks of it, the entire Chaotic Dead Territory was engulfed in the war of the Small Stone Race, rendering Yang Kai speechless at the sight.
Furthermore, every single Small Stone Race member would immediately stop and attack the Royal Lord the moment they sensed his aura.
Be that as it may, they were unable to stop the Royal Lord. Even if Yang Kai used their energy to create a mass of Purifying Light, he could only delay the pursuing Royal Lord for a moment, that was all.
Yang Kai had no intention of fighting the Royal Lord head-on so he kept rushing to the depths of the Chaotic Dead Territory, shouting non-stop.
Only when he suddenly felt two shocking auras approaching him did he finally stop and call out, his face beaming with joy, “Big Brother Huang, Big Sister Lan, your Little Brother has come to see you!”
The pursuing Royal Lord behind Yang Kai also sensed the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer’s auras and his complexion immediately changed. Abruptly coming to a halt, he focused his senses for a moment before hurriedly turning around and fleeing.
Obviously, he had noticed the strength of the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer and also understood why Yang Kai had lured him here. It was to seek help from these two beings.
However, just as the Royal Lord was trying to escape, a golden chain appeared behind him all of a sudden. The chain was emanating an extremely rich Yang Element aura; obviously, it was created from Big Brother Huang’s strength.
The chain wrapped around the Royal Lord like it had a mind of its own.
The Royal Lord was quite strong too and his Black Ink Strength surged as he tried to shake off the chains. But suddenly, a small head popped out of the chain. Who knows when Big Brother Huang hid in this chain, but when he did appear, he just lightly blew at the Royal Lord.
This action might have seemed ordinary, but it sent the Royal Lord tumbling through the void.
By the time he regained his balance, a little girl in a light blue dress happened to be standing in front of him, gazing down at him with an innocent and pure gaze.
Enraged, the Royal Lord punched straight at her.
The little girl raised her skirt with both hands and gently lifted her foot, kicking the oncoming fist lightly.
Oddly though, the little girl’s figure remained motionless while the Royal Lord was sent flying like an arrow fired from a bow.
The Royal Lord was completely terrified!
[Who the Hell are these two!?] Much to the Royal Lord’s shock, the two ‘Humans’ were tossing him like he was a piece of trash. What terrified the Royal Lord even more was the fact that he had a faint instinctual fear towards these two insignificant Humans.
The Royal Lord tried his best to regain his footing, but right then, Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan shot towards him, leaving two trails of light, one yellow and one blue. The two circled around the Royal Lord and at first, he could still make out their figures, but gradually, he lost sight of them as his vision filled with streaks of yellow and blue light slowly forming a huge net around him.
Yang Kai heard the Royal Lord’s roars and snarls.
The next moment, the yellow and blue colours fused together, transforming into a pure white light. Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan also simultaneously stopped and drifted away.
In Yang Kai’s sight, the Royal Lord’s figure was no longer visible, leaving only a white cocoon that was radiating a pure and gentle light.
This light had the same aura as the Purifying Light he used, but it was many, many times stronger and more intense than his own Purifying Light.
This wasn’t a surprise though, as Yang Kai condensed Purifying Light from mere remnants of the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer’s strength, while this Purifying Light was directly condensed by the two supreme beings.
With a deafening bang, the cocoon of light exploded into countless wisps of light. As for the Royal Lord who should have been trapped in this cocoon of light, he simply vanished.
Yang Kai was even unable to sense remnants of his aura!
Yang Kai was bewildered at the sight of this as he inwardly praised Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan as truly being worthy of being the ancestor of all the Divine Spirits. Even a Master as strong as a Royal Lord was disposed of with ease by the two of them.
If he could persuade them to come forward, there would be no need to fear the Black Ink Clan again!
Yang Kai estimated that these two would even be able to kill the Black Ink Giant Spirit Gods without much difficulty.
Yang Kai then enthusiastically greeted the two, “Big Brother Huang, Big Sister Lan, long time no see. Your Little Brother has missed you very much all these years. Now that I’ve seen your noble bearing once more, this Little Brother’s longing for you has finally been quenched.”
Big Brother Huang completely disregarded his flattery as a furrow appeared at his brow and he asked, “Where did that foul thing come from?”
Big Sister Lan rebuked, pursing her lips, “Had you not been chased by him, why would you even think of us? You didn’t even come to play with us all these years. I think you must have forgotten about us.”
Yang Kai put on an earnest look as he defended himself, “Of course not, your Little Brother has been thinking about you two day and night ever since we parted. Unfortunately, this Little Brother was dispatched to a distant battlefield and was unable to return. However, the moment I came back, I immediately came here to see you.”
Big Brother Huang lightly snorted, “You also brought an enemy with you and asked for our help, am I right?”
Yang Kai stated, embarrassed, “Little Brother’s skills are lacking. As I was not his opponent, I had no choice but to turn to you. It’s only natural for Big Brothers and Big Sisters to take care of their Little Brothers.”
Yang Kai’s face was filled with flattery when he was in front of the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer, which suddenly made him realize how Chen Tian Fei must have felt when facing him.
[That Fatty is still quite good, I should treat him better when I return and stop trying to scare him…]
Big Brother Huang stated, waving off, “Forget it, we Big Brother and Little Sister can’t win against you in a war of wor…”
Before he could finish, the nearby Big Sister Lan shouted, “Big Brother and Little Sister? Humph! It’s Big Sister and Little Brother!”
Big Brother Huang shot a disdainful glance at her, “Wait until you have defeated me in this battle. We are Big Brother and Little Sister until it is over.”
Big Sister Lan suddenly became a little dispirited and depressed. Apparently, she had lost the last round.
As someone who had accompanied these two for a few years, Yang Kai was not surprised by this familiar sight.
Big Brother Huang then turned to Yang Kai and asked, “Tell me, what made you come here this time?” Before Yang Kai could say anything, he interrupted, “Don’t say it’s because you really missed us.”
Yang Kai first smiled in embarrassment before he quickly cupped his fist and requested, “The Black Ink Clan has invaded the 3,000 Worlds and is about to wreak havoc upon all the innocents living in it. Little Brother earnestly requests you two descend the mountain and help resolve the Human Race’s crisis!”
Big Brother Huang slightly frowned, “The Black Ink Clan? Like the one who died just now?”
Yang Kai nodded his affirmation, “Indeed. He was a Royal Lord of the Black Ink Clan, equivalent to a Human Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.”
“How many Royal Lords like him are there?”
Yang Kai answered, “Originally, there were 200 or so, but now there are only a few dozen left. But the biggest danger posed by the Black Ink Clan is not how many Royal Lords they have, but rather the unique characteristics of their Black Ink Strength. You two must have seen it, so you should know how peculiar it is.”
Big Brother Huang nodded his acknowledgement.
Yang Kai continued, “The Black Ink Clan uses something called Black Ink Nests to create more clansmen. So long as they have ample resources, they can keep creating more soldiers. Originally, the Humans tried to eliminate them on the Black Ink Battlefield, but unfortunately, we were defeated and our defences were breached a year ago. Now, the Black Ink Clan has broken through the boundary walls and invaded the 3,000 Worlds. If we don’t find a way to stop them, the Human Race will be finished and we will have no place left in this world! The Humans can take care of the Black Ink Clan Army, but the Black Ink Clan has two Black Ink Giant Spirit Gods, whose strength is too much for us. Unless Big Brother and Big Sister take action, there will be no way to stop them.”
Having finished speaking, Yang Kai cupped his fist again, “I earnestly request that the two of you come out of seclusion and save the 3,000 Worlds, saving the Human Race from this crisis!”
Big Brother Huang let out a long sigh, “Things have become so grim?”
Yang Kai nodded, “It will only get worse from here.”
When he escaped from Wind Mist Territory, the passageway had already been fully opened. A year had already passed by now, so he had no idea about the situation in the 3,000 Worlds.
Big Sister Lan, who had been silent all this time, suddenly stated, “But we can’t leave here.”
Yang Kai was taken aback, “Even now?”
Big Sister Lan explained, “Since you know our identities, I believe you’ve also heard the rumours about us from the Humans, and those rumours are not exaggerated. We are physical representations of death and destruction. We’ve told you this before. It’s fine if we are in the Chaotic Dead Territory as it has no vitality… but wherever we go, every place will become part of the Chaotic Dead Territory.”
Naturally, Yang Kai had heard of these rumours before and understood what the consequences of them taking action would be.
Big Brother Huang heaved a long sigh, “Originally, the Chaotic Dead Territory wasn’t so big, it was only the size of an ordinary Great Territory, but later it became this…”
Big Brother Huang started speaking but hesitated to continue. As such, Big Sister Lan took over, “Long ago, our consciousnesses were muddled, which resulted in the destruction of many Great Territories, and that’s how the current size of the Chaotic Dead Territory came to be. After we gained sentience, we no longer dared to freely wander about, so we stayed here to avoid harming other places.”
[This sounds a little familiar…]
Suddenly, Yang Kai recalled that the formation of the Black Ink Battlefield was quite similar to the Chaotic Dead Territory, both were the fusion of many Great Territories. However, the Black Ink Battlefield was the result of the wanton release of Mo’s Black Ink Strength, whereas when the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer came to realize the dangers of their power, they chose to remain isolated in the Chaotic Dead Territory.
“I see… Is there really nothing we can do about it?” Yang Kai was puzzled.
Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan looked at each other before answering in unison, ““It’s because we can’t control our own strength.””
Yang Kai was dumbstruck by this revelation for a moment, but then, he recalled the scene when he first came to the Chaotic Dead Territory and realization instantly dawned upon him, “That makes sense; after all, there were so many Yellow and Blue Crystals here!”
The first time he came to the Chaotic Dead Territory, things were not as peaceful as they were now.
At that time, the Chaotic Dead Territory was filled with the energy leaking out of the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer. The Yin and Yang Element energies manifested into a myriad of strange avatars that kept clashing with each other everywhere in the Chaotic Dead Territory, literally shaking the void.
Had Giant Spirit God Ah Er not accompanied him at that time, how would Yang Kai, who was just in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, have survived unscathed? He would have died the moment he entered, leaving not even a trace of his existence behind. This was a place where even the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master could not survive for more than a few breaths.
The entrance to the Chaotic Dead Territory was always guarded by the Cave Heavens and Paradises, with an Eighth-Order Ancestor and several Seventh-Order Masters stationed all year around. It was a mission assigned to Eighth-Order Masters in turn. Normally a dozen Masters would be present at the entrance, tasked with monitoring the Chaotic Dead Territory and the movements of the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer.
This mission was both wonderful and terrible. It was terrible because it was very dangerous. Even though the Chaotic Dead Territory did not expand often, sometimes remaining unchanged for thousands of years, and the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer never came out, if someday these two Supreme Beings got bored and decided to take a walk, the Masters monitoring the entrance would be the first to suffer.
On the other hand, the reason why it was wonderful was that the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters stationed here would have the opportunity to collect some Yin and Yang Element materials at the outskirts of the Chaotic Dead Territory. If they were in luck, they could easily harvest some Seventh-Order or even Eighth-Order materials.
Yang Kai had visited the Chaotic Dead Territory twice and had met the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master guarding the entrance both times, but he had not seen anyone this time. Similarly, there was no trace of the cultivators he left behind last time to help serve as Generals for these two’s war games. Most probably, they had already left to fight against the Black Ink Clan.
It was precisely because of the dangers of the Chaotic Dead Territory that there was such a shortage of Yin and Yang Element materials, despite the entire Chaotic Dead Territory being absolutely filled with Yellow and Blue Crystals.
If the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer could perfectly control their own strength, there would be no Yin and Yang avatars to confront each other, and neither would there be any Yellow and Blue Crystals.
It was precisely because they couldn’t control their own strength that their energies would leak from their bodies, which would cause all other things.
Later on, when Yang Kai left the Small Stone Race in the Chaotic Dead Territory, the two had tried to directly channel their energies into the Small Stone Race, which ultimately caused the Small Stone Race to mutate.
It didn’t make sense that Yang Kai’s Small Stone Race still remained the same after tens of thousands of years in his Small Universe, while the Chaotic Dead Territory’s Small Stone Race had undergone an astonishing transformation. Surprisingly, even members comparable to Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had been born here, but when the pure energy of the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer were taken into account, it was only natural for evolution to occur.
The continuous fights between the Small Stone Race were mainly driven by the characteristics of their race, as well as by the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer’s energies.
It could be said that the confrontation between the Yin and Yang in the Chaotic Dead Territory had never stopped. Only the way they were clashing had changed, and the reason for this change was because it was deliberately directed by Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan.
Naturally, Yang Kai already knew of this.
It was just that he couldn’t understand how beings as powerful as Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan couldn’t control their own strength. Logically speaking, the stronger one was, the greater the control they had of their own strength, but when it came to Burning Light and Serene Glimmer, it was the exact opposite.
Nonetheless, if what they said was true, the destruction they would cause might be even worse than the Black Ink Clan.
Yang Kai really wanted these two to leave the Chaotic Dead Territory to deal with the Black Ink Giant Spirit Gods, but by the looks of it, this was just wishful thinking on his part.
Unwilling to give up though, Yang Kai asked, “Are you two completely unable to restrain your strength?”
Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan both vigorously shook their heads like rattle drums.
Yang Kai rubbed his aching brow and asked, “Have the two of you ever tried to fuse together?”
“Like this?” Big Brother Huang sent a wisp of his Great Sun Force.
Big Sister Lan didn’t say a word as she also sent a wisp of her Great Moon Force.
The two wisps of energies of two different colours slowly converged together and quickly fused into a flash of white light…
Yang Kai stated, “I don’t mean merging your energies, but you two merging together?”
The Burning Light and Serene Glimmer both stared at him in a perplexed manner, “How do we merge?”
For a moment, Yang Kai didn’t know how to explain. All he could do was elaborate, “There is a Black Ink Battlefield just outside of the 3,000 Worlds, which is the front line where various Cave Heavens and Paradises resisted the Black Ink Clan. The Humans and Black Ink Clan have been fighting on that battlefield for countless years. Little Brother went to the Black Ink Battlefield more than 1,000 years ago, and about 500 years ago, the Human Race Army embarked on a grand crusade to the source of the Black Ink Clan, where I met an ancient Supreme Master and came to learn of some ancient secrets.”
Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan didn’t interrupt him, rather both of them summoned a ball of energy that transformed into a mat. They sat down on their respective mats and stared at Yang Kai with great interest; their eyes were filled with anticipation as if they were waiting for him to continue.
It had always been just the two of them in the vast Chaotic Dead Territory, so it was quite boring for them. They rarely got to hear something interesting about the outside world, so naturally, the two were quite happy and excited.
Yang Kai shot a profound stare at them, “Some of these things may have something to do with you two.”
“En en,” Big Sister Lan repeatedly nodded while Big Brother Huang listened attentively.
Yang Kai couldn’t help but feel as if he was storytelling, with two loyal listeners sitting in front of him…
“Rumor has it that, when the Chaos separated into Heaven and Earth, the first Primordial Light appeared in the World, along with its counterpart, the Primordial Darkness …”
When he reiterated everything he had heard from Cang about the first ray of light and darkness, nothing was exciting about it, it was just going back in time.
Big Brother Huang clucked his tongue and rebuked, furrowing his brow, “Not interesting!”
Big Sister Lan also nodded in agreement.
Both of them felt that if they kept listening to Yang Kai’s nonsense anymore, they would be bored to death.
Yang Kai helplessly stated, “You two, it’s not a question of whether it is exciting or not, don’t you have any ideas?”
Big Brother Huang voiced his thoughts, “According to that old man named Cang, Mo is the manifestation of Primordial Darkness. If we want to eliminate him, do we need to find the world’s first light, the Primordial Light?”
“Yes!”
Big Sister Lan asked, “Do you suspect we are born from the Primordial Light?”
Yang Kai nodded, “Purifying Light is the nemesis of Black Ink Strength, and Purifying Light is the result of the fusion of your energies. I can’t help but think they are related.”
Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan glanced at each other before the former sighed, “I didn’t expect that after hiding for so many years, it would still be discovered.”
Big Sister Lan also sighed and added, “There’s nothing we can do if we’re discovered.”
“You two really are born from the Primordial Light?” Yang Kai was overjoyed.
Yang Kai’s eyes were filled with anticipation. If Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan were really born from the Primordial Light, then he had found a way to deal with Mo, the source of the Black Ink Clan. As long as he could solve the problem of the source of the Black Ink Clan, sooner or later, the entire Black Ink Clan would be wiped out. At that time, peace would return to the 3,000 Worlds.
“What should we do?” Brother Huang looked at Big Sister Lan.
“We can only do that,” Big Sister Lan replied solemnly.
Yang Kai watched as these two spoke in riddles. He was afraid that they would try to silence him; fortunately, the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer didn’t have such intentions. After exchanging a few words, the two of them stood up and, just like when they had killed the Royal Lord, their figures intertwined with each other, swirling in the void.
Yang Kai clenched his fists, his face filled with excitement and anticipation.
As expected, these two were born manifestations of the Universe’s Primordial Light, but somehow separated into two entities. However, the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer were seemingly able to fuse into one body at critical moments!
The Black Ink Clan crisis could be resolved with the Primordial Light! Even Mo, the source, could be eliminated!
The two small figures intertwined faster, the yellow and blue colours quickly fused together and transformed into a dazzling white light. Soon, Yang Kai saw the light cocoon again.
Earlier, the Royal Lord had been wrapped in this white cocoon of light, and when it shattered, the Royal Lord had simply vanished into nothingness.
Now that this light cocoon had reappeared, Yang Kai’s heart was rapidly pounding in excitement.
After a while, the light cocoon completely stabilized and floated in front of Yang Kai like a real cocoon.
Yang Kai called out a few times, but there was no response from Big Brother Huang or Big Sister Lan, so he gently stretched out his hand and touched the cocoon.
It was like a solid object, soft and supple, as if he was touching the skin of the most tender baby in the world.
Yang Kai couldn’t help but reach out and gently pinch it…
With a bang, the cocoon of light blew up into countless wisps of light. There was no aura. Nothing. As though it had never existed.
Yang Kai’s entire body went completely cold as if he had fallen into a frozen river before he panicked.
[Exploded!?]
[I pinched it casually, but it blew up!?]
[The cocoon of light exploded… did I just destroy the Primordial Light? Impossible…]
[Am I going to become the eternal sinner of the Human Race…?]
In the future, whenever someone mentioned Yang Kai’s name, they would say that it was he who had destroyed the light cocoon and destroyed the world’s Primordial Light, causing the Human Race to lose the means to deal with the Black Ink Clan.
In an instant, all kinds of thoughts flashed across Yang Kai’s mind like lightning, filling his chest with regret and indescribable pain, but the next moment, he was completely dumbstruck.
Two small figures appeared from behind these glowing specks of light. Big Brother Huang asked with a huge smile, “Are you surprised?”
Big Sister Lan excitedly asked, “Are you surprised?”
The two of them had a look of joy on their faces, like their prank had succeeded.
In that moment, filled with both relief and rage, the veins on Yang Kai’s forehead bulged and he unconsciously raised his fist and socked two naughty children over the head.
Of course, after his fist landed on their heads, Yang Kai abruptly came back to his senses. How could these two… be so easily beaten by him? Even with his current strength, if either of these two even sneezed too hard at him, he would be vaporized.
Yang Kai’s head was filled with indignation and anxiety at that moment and acted without thinking, only wanting to teach these brats a lesson.
Naturally, Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan were also struck dumb by this and both of them stared blankly at Yang Kai, holding their heads.
This was probably the first time someone had ever knocked on their heads.
Yang Kai had also fallen into a daze. Looking at their figures before him, he suddenly recalled that while he might address them cordially as Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan, they were two of the most powerful Masters to have ever lived. Of course, they were still children at heart.
The ancient Supreme Masters Mo was also childlike, so how could the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer, who were from the same era and possessed the same level of strength, not be similar. It could be that countless years of isolation from the outside world had prevented them from maturing. Or, it might just be the Universe trying to achieve some kind of balance.
Yang Kai had placed all his hopes of defeating Mo on them, and had even asked for them to merge together, yet he had never asked their opinion.
[Right now, they are Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan, but what if they really merged? What would become of them?]
Feeling somewhat guilty, Yang Kai sighed and gently rubbed their heads.
Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan seemed to have sensed the change in Yang Kai’s mood. Big Brother Huang tilted his head to avoid his hand and stated, “If we really could merge, we would have discovered it long ago. Why would we wait for you to remind us?”
Big Sister Lan also nodded, but she didn’t avoid Yang Kai’s hand, rather her eyes became slightly narrow as a look of enjoyment appeared on her face.
“But…” Big Brother Huang’s tone suddenly changed, “We sensed something strange over the years.”
“Like what?” Yang Kai asked.
Big Brother Huang thought about it for a moment, as if he was trying to sort out his words. After a while, he finally replied, “We have a vague memory from the time when our consciousnesses were not fully developed. It’s as if we Brother and Sister, once existed together somewhere, but one day we suddenly left that place and appeared in the Chaotic Dead Territory.”
Yang Kai’s eyes lit up after hearing this, “What kind of place was that?”
Big Brother Huang shook his head in response, “We were ignorant at that time and we only have some vague memories of it now.”
Big Sister Lan added, “I think it’s not that we left, but rather that we were abandoned.”
“Abandoned?” Yang Kai was shocked. [These two were already among the strongest beings in existence the moment they were born, so how could they have been abandoned?]
Nonetheless, the only thing he was certain of now was that Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan were deeply related to the Primordial Light, or else their combined strength would not have been able to restrain the Black Ink Strength so easily.
The Primordial Light and Black Ink Strength were basically complete opposites.
According to Cang, the Primordial Light should have gained sentience a long time ago and now, it might not be in the form of a simple light. It could be a tree, a flower, or anything else in this World.
Combined with what Big Sister Lan had said, Yang Kai suddenly had a bold guess.
[Could it be that after the Primordial Light gained sentience, it stripped away the Great Sun Force and Great Moon Force from its body? That Great Sun Force eventually became the Burning Light, and the Great Moon Force turned into the Serene Glimmer. But in that case, where is its main body?]
Perhaps, Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan’s inability to control their own strength was related to this, because they themselves were only two parts of that Primordial Light. Currently, they are damaged and incomplete, so naturally, they are unable to control their strength, leading to the continuous confrontation between their innate Forces.
But in that case, why did Primordial Light strip these two from its body? What form did it take afterwards?
Unable to figure anything out, Yang Kai suddenly thought of something else and asked, “The World reveres the two of you as the ancestors of all Divine Spirits, but did the two of you really give birth to the Divine Spirits’ Bloodlines?”
Big Sister Lan immediately blushed red, “We’re still children, what nonsense are you spouting?”
Big Brother Huang also stuttered, “Don’t talk nonsense, we’re Brother and Sister.”
Sister Lan corrected him, “Sister and Brother, it’s Sister first then Brother!”
…..
The two of them began arguing like usual while Yang Kai stroked his chin thoughtfully. Before he had met Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan, he had not given much of a thought to the fact that the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer were progenitors of all Divine Spirits, but after meeting these two and getting to know them, he became highly suspicious of this claim.
How could these two give birth to the Divine Spirits? Moreover, there were so many different types of Divine Spirits, so was it even possible for them to be the common ancestors to all of them.
By the looks of it, these two being the so-called Divine Spirit Progenitors was also just a misunderstanding. However, the reason why Yang Kai’s Dragon Vein could improve so quickly was because of the energy bestowed by them all those years ago.
From this, it could be seen that they had some kind of close relationship with the Divine Spirits, but it no longer seemed like they were the legendary ancestors.
History was shrouded in multiple veils of ancient secrets that had been obscured over millions and millions of years. If one did not belong to that era, there was simply no way to uncover the truth anymore.
Yang Kai couldn’t be bothered to think about such matters now though. The main reason he had come here was to ask these two to descend the mountain and deal with the Black Ink Giant Spirit Gods. Now that he knew they couldn’t control their own strength though, his plan had failed before even beginning.
However, since he was here, he naturally couldn’t just return empty-handed.
With this thought in mind, Yang Kai cupped his fist and requested, “Big Brother, Big Sister, the Humans’ entire existence is at stake. The Purifying Light created by merging your energies is the nemesis of Black Ink Strength, so Little Brother must earnestly request that the two of you bestow upon us some Yellow and Blue Crystals to prepare for battle.”
Hearing this, the two of them stopped arguing and Big Sister Lan agreed, nodding, “No problem, how much do you want?”
Yang Kai solemnly answered, “The more the better! Also, is there a way for you to allow me to bestow the Great Sun and Great Moon Marks to others?”
Without these two seals, the Yellow and Blue Crystals were just cultivation materials. Only by activating these two marks could the Yellow and Blue Crystals fuse into Purifying Light that could counter the Black Ink Clan.
But Yang Kai had come here alone and didn’t know what he should do to carry the Great Sun and Great Moon Marks and bestow them to someone else. It would be great if Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan had a solution to this problem, but if they did not, he would have no choice but to ask someone else to come to the Chaotic Dead Territory and leave them to Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan.
He was considering this now because he was currently the only one who could create Purifying Light. Even if he had enough Yellow and Blue Crystals, the efficiency was still quite low while the risk was also quite high. If more people had the Great Sun and Great Moon Marks though, things would be much simpler.
Big Brother Huang explained, “These two marks are formed from our Source Strength, so while we can bestow a few more to you, it can’t be too many. Moreover, these two marks can only be borne by one with a Divine Spirit Bloodline. You must remember this, for if one doesn’t have the body or Bloodline of a Divine Spirit, they will die trying to refine our two marks.”
Yang Kai repeatedly nodded.
Big Brother Huang continued, “We’ll get you some Yellow and Blue Crystals first.”
Saying so, Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan’s figures flickered before a boundless pressure emanated from them. Even though Yang Kai was already an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he still felt completely insignificant before them as his heart clenched tight.
The next moment, surging waves of energy gushed out from their bodies, transforming into enormous yellow and blue clouds.
The moment these two clouds appeared, they immediately flew at each other and collided non-stop as powerful energy fluctuations began spreading throughout the Chaotic Dead Territory.
As they collided, the two clouds constantly scattered and re-condensed, creating massive amounts of Yellow and Blue Crystals of various Orders.
Nonetheless, Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan didn’t stop. They constantly pushed their strength as clouds of various sizes appeared, one after another, flying off in different directions.
It was true that these two were unable to control their own strength, so once they clashed with the energy in their bodies, they were simply unable to direct the result. Their energies would automatically clash once unleashed.
Be that as it may, their strength seemed to be limitless. The entire void was filled with clouds of various shapes and sizes in just a few days, and soon after that, Yellow and Blue Crystals were floating everywhere. All the Yellow and Blue Crystals varied in sizes and qualities; some were as small as beads while some were as large as mountains.
Since Yang Kai didn’t stop them, they had no intention of stopping.
While Big Brother Huang kept pushing his strength, he also taught Yang Kai a set of Secret Techniques. According to him, Yang Kai could create Great Sun and Moon Marks by activating this Secret Technique with his Divine Spirit Source, supplemented with part of their Source Strength.
Yang Kai was naturally overjoyed by this, and carefully memorized this Secret Technique.
After Yang Kai had completely mastered this Secret Technique, Big Brother Huang stretched out his hand and pointed towards him as an orange-yellow bead appeared before him.
Big Brother Huang pointed 10 times, for a total of 10 beads.
Each bead was created using his Source Strength and was also the foundation for cultivating the Great Sun Mark.
On another side, Big Sister Lan also followed suit, creating 10 blue beads.
After they had done this, Yang Kai could clearly feel that Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan were a bit exhausted. Obviously, extracting so much of their Source Strength was detrimental to them.
Putting away the 20 beads, Yang Kai wore an earnest look and thanked the two, cupping his fist, “Little Brother thanks Big Brother and Big Sister on behalf of the Human Race and all living beings in the 3,000 Worlds!”
Big Brother Huang stated, shaking his head, “We can’t help you much. This is all we can do.”
Big Sister Lan exhorted, “You must be careful, don’t die so easily.”
Yang Kai grinned, “Don’t worry, how could your Little Brother die so easily if the Black Ink Clan is not destroyed?” Changing the topic, he pointed towards the distance and requested, “Little Brother also has another request, can I take some of your Small Stone Race armies?”
The Small Stone Race in the Chaotic Dead Territory had been raised so well by Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan that even 1,000 metres tall clansmen comparable to Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had appeared. It would be a waste to leave them here just to kill each other. The Small Stone Race were unafraid of the corruption of Black Ink Strength, so they could become a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.
How could Yang Kai miss this opportunity?
Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan were both a bit speechless as they felt that Yang Kai’s visit this time had nearly emptied out their entire family’s fortune. He had asked for Yellow and Blue Crystals, and also requested the Great Sun and Great Moon Marks, and now, he was even coveting their Small Stone Race Armies.
Yang Kai quickly proposed, “I also have many Small Stone Race members with me, I can exchange them with you two.”
Although his Small Stone Race looked weak, if they were trained by these two, presumably they would turn into an elite army in a few hundred years at most.
“Forget it,” Big Brother Huang snapped, he could see through Yang Kai miles away, “The Small Stone Race multiplied rapidly. As long as there are Stone Kings, they won’t be exterminated, so there’s no need for you to exchange them for yours.”
He might have seemed reluctant, but Big Brother Huang still gave him permission, “Go collect them yourself.”
Yang Kai was moved to tears, “Many thanks!”
A moment later, Yang Kai came back flying in helter-skelter. There was a massive Small Stone Race Army chasing behind him as blazing Suns and crescent Moons kept flying at him one after another, pushing him into a corner.
The Small Stone Race lacked intelligence, only knowing how to act according to their instincts. Normally, they would fight each other because of their different natures, but when Yang Kai tried to collect them, he broke this balance, inviting their wrath.
Worse, Yang Kai couldn’t fight back; after all, they were going to be his allies in the fight against the Black Ink Clan. He wanted to collect them, not kill them.
As such, it didn’t take long for him to be pushed into dire straits.
“Big Brother, Big Sister, do you two have any good ideas?” Yang Kai hurriedly asked. It was quite interesting that though, as he flew over to Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan’s side, the pursuing army behind him stopped in their tracks. Obviously, they had sensed Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan’s auras.
As far as the Small Stone Race was concerned, the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer were the source of their creation and strength, so naturally, they couldn’t act presumptuously before these two.
Big Brother Huang snapped, “Are you stupid? Don’t you know how to use the Great Sun and Great Moon Marks?”
Yang Kai came to a sudden realization. The Great Sun and Great Moon Marks were created from the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer’s Source Strength; so, if he wanted the Small Stone Race to obey him, using these two marks was naturally the best option.
Previously, Yang Kai had used these two marks to draw energy from the two Small Stone Race armies and fuse them into a Purifying Light to deal with the Royal Lord, which was a similar kind of act.
Having obtained the answer, Yang Kai turned around and rushed towards the two Small Stone Race armies. He activated the Great Sun and Great Moon Marks before even reaching them and, as expected, the armies did not attack him and he was able to smoothly pull them into his Small Universe.
To prevent them from causing trouble in his Small Universe, Yang Kai had deliberately set up two regions and sealed the Small Stone Race with his World Force. One region was used to house Big Brother Huang’s Great Sun Small Stone Race, while the other was used for Big Sister Lan’s Great Moon Small Stone Race.
After several months of hard work, one Small Stone Race army after another was taken in by Yang Kai, their total number crossing into the millions.
Among them, there were 100 or so 1,000-metre-tall Small Stone Race Masters that were comparable to Eighth-Order Humans.
There weren’t many of such Small Stone Race members as only an army of a million Small Stone Race would have one or two.
At first, Yang Kai was a bit worried that his Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Small Universe wouldn’t be able to accommodate these Small Stone Race members; after all, if they were true Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, he wouldn’t be able to put them into his Small Universe at all.
Everyone’s Small Universe had a limit, and higher Order Open Heaven Realm Masters could only take in lower Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. If they tried taking in someone of the same Order, they would be helpless.
But after giving it a try, Yang Kai found that it was not a problem to take in the 1,000-metre-tall Small Stone Race members.
Giving it another thought, he realized that these 1,000-metre-tall Small Stone Race members were not true Open Heaven Realm Masters. They might be as strong as Eighth-Order Masters, but that was just raw strength. They could not be lumped together with true Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters who had vast Small Universes.
By the time Yang Kai was done, he had collected almost all of the Small Stone Race forces in the Chaotic Dead Territory.
A few months later, when Yang Kai came to bid farewell to the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer, Big Brother Huang shooed him away before Yang Kai could say anything, “Get out of here.”
Yang Kai’s first two visits could be considered acceptable, even mutually beneficial, but this time, he had basically emptied the entire Chaotic Dead Territory. Even Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan felt their hearts bleed witnessing such wanton plundering.
Putting everything else aside, it took them over 1,000 years to raise their current Small Stone Race Armies, so it would naturally take them just as long to nurture another such army.
Yang Kai also knew that he had gone too far this time, yet he had no choice but to be this shameless for the sake of the Human Race. After a moment of silence, he stated, “I’ll come visit you when I have the time.”
Big Brother Huang rolled his eyes, “I’d rather you not.”
An embarrassed but polite smile appeared on Yang Kai’s face, but just as he was about to leave, he suddenly asked, “By the way, do you know how to find the Giant Spirit Gods?”
There were two Giant Spirit Gods he knew of, one was Ah Da who had appeared outside the Star Boundary all those years ago, and the other was Ah Er who had led him into the Chaotic Dead Territory.
Ah Er was previously seen in the Barren Territory, battling with the Black Ink Giant Spirit God, but there was no news of Ah Da.
The Black Ink Clan had two Giant Spirit Gods, and as Big Brother Huang and Big Sister Lan couldn’t descend the mountain, Yang Kai felt that it would be best if he could find Ah Da so that the Humans could make up for the lack of top Masters among their ranks.
Hearing this, Big Brother Huang, and Big Sister Lan both shook their heads.
But Big Sister Lan added, “If it’s the Giant Spirit Gods, you don’t need to look for them. If the Black Ink Clan is as you say, then no matter where the Giant Spirit Gods are hiding, they will be provoked by the Black Ink Clan sooner or later.”
Yang Kai pondered for a moment before realizing that this was indeed the case. He cupped his fist and bade his farewells, “Little Brother understands. Big Brother, Big Sister, please take care, this Little Brother will take his leave now!”
Turning around, he transformed into a streak of light as he flew straight towards the Territory Gate.
A few days later, Yang Kai finally exited the Chaotic Dead Territory. He then immediately took out his Universe Chart, and after confirming his route, he made straight for the next Territory Gate.
Although he didn’t know the current situation on the Barren Territory battlefield, he knew it was now connected to Wind Mist Territory thanks to the Black Ink Giant Spirit God.
The appearance of this gap in the boundary walls meant that the Human Race had suffered a strategic defeat on the Barren Territory battlefield!
Regardless of what advantages the Humans might be able to gain on the main battlefield, the fact that they were unable to stop the Black Ink Clan from invading the 3,000 Worlds could only be considered a complete failure.
The main forces of the Human Race were all gathered in the Barren Territory, while the Black Ink Clan had invaded Wind Mist Territory through the newly opened Territory Gate. In other words, the Human Race could no longer contain them.
It had been roughly a year and a half since the Black Ink Clan Army broke out of the Barren Territory, so it was hard to say what the current situation of the 3,000 Worlds was.
Yang Kai was not worried about the Star Boundary, as with the World Tree Clone present there, the Star Boundary would be the foundation of the Human Race’s future. If he was right, the Cave Heavens and Paradises would protect the Star Boundary at any cost, because only by protecting the Star Boundary would there be hope for the Human Race.
If Yang Kai was one of the Old Ancestors of the Cave Heavens and Paradises, he would definitely have the remnants of the Human Race retreat to the Star Boundary and use High Heaven Territory as the final pure land to resist the Black Ink Clan, defending it at all costs while they waited for the younger generations to grow!
There was no need to worry about Void Land either as, before all this, he had warned Bi Xi. With a Mature Divine Spirit like Bi Xi around, it should not be too dangerous for Void Land if they wanted to evacuate.
As both the Star Boundary and Void Land were safe and sound, the most pressing issue right now was to assess the current situation of the 3,000 Worlds!
Yang Kai quickly found his bearings and flew in a certain direction. In less than a day, a beautiful Universe World appeared in his sight. From afar, this Universe World looked like a sapphire gem floating in the void, radiating a mesmerizing lustre.
But quickly, Yang Kai noticed that something was amiss. He could feel the fluctuations of someone fighting coming from the periphery of this Universe World.
A furrow appeared on his brow as he sped up. Soon, he arrived at that side of the Universe World and, as he had expected, he found a battle taking place.
On one side were obviously cultivators of some Sect in this Universe World. Their cultivations were quite varied, and many were even First and Second-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, but their opponents were actually the Black Ink Clansmen.
Having said that, the Black Ink Clansmen here were not strong either, probably just a detached squad from the main Black Ink Clan Army. The Black Ink Clansman leading this squad was only a High-Rank Clansmen, equivalent to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
Obviously, the Human side held the advantage in numbers, but the situation was extremely dire for them.
Nothing was surprising about this as the peculiarities of Black Ink Strength forced Human cultivators into a difficult position. These cultivators had clearly never come into contact with the Black Ink Clan before and didn’t know how difficult it was to deal with them, so by now, many of their weaker disciples had already been turned into Black Ink Disciples.
How could the other cultivators, who had never heard of Black Ink Strength, bear to kill their fellow disciples, who were fighting alongside them just moments ago? On the other hand, Black Ink Disciples had no scruples about slaughtering their former Brothers and Sisters and even focused their attacks on their vitals, pushing them into dire straits.
Many had lost their lives, and the survivors were completely dispirited; mourning cries could be heard everywhere.
Yang Kai’s heart sank at the sight of this.
This was a Great Territory adjacent to the Chaotic Dead Territory, far, far away from Wind Mist Territory, yet the Black Ink Clan had already reached this far?
Clearly, the Black Ink Clan could no longer be contained.
Probably, Black Ink Clansmen or Black Ink Disciples could be found in almost every Great Territory of the 3,000 Worlds by now. Suddenly, Yang Kai felt his chest tighten up as an uncomfortable feeling surged in his heart.
The Cave Heavens and Paradises had been doing everything they could to stop the invasion of the Black Ink Clan on the Black Ink Battlefield for countless millennia. Countless heroes had laid down their lives, their corpses piled up into countless mountains, yet all their efforts had now proven futile.
A single misstep had led to their defeat. The Black Ink Clan Army had invaded every Great Territory, and many Universe Worlds had been reduced to barren wastelands, while countless people must have lost their wives, their sons and daughters, their entire family!
Was the crusade a mistake?
No!
Every generation had taken the complete eradication of the Black Ink Clan as their goal, so the crusade was a must. Even if no crusade was carried out in this generation, one would have been launched by the next. It would have happened no matter what. This generation was the closest to success, but also the one who had sacrificed the most.
The only mistake was that the Human Race’s understanding of Mo was simply too low. No one had expected Mo to be so powerful, or that the Black Ink Giant Spirit Gods were actually Soul Clones created by Mo. Even the Black Ink Giant Spirit God killed countless eons ago by the Divine Spirits of the Ancestral Land and the one on the Late Ancient Era Battlefield had been awakened by Mo.
Only after uncovering this information did the Humans finally have some understanding of the Ancient Supreme Being that was Mo.
However, despite things not currently looking bright for them, the Humans would definitely be able to completely annihilate the Black Ink Clan and drive them out of the 3,000 Worlds one day.
Yang Kai firmly believed this.
The Old Ancestors who had fought to the death in the Barren Territory firmly believed this as well, which was why they had gone forth without hesitation.
Everyone’s efforts and sacrifices would not be wasted, they would only serve as the foundation for the future victory!
The day the Black Ink Clan was destroyed, the 3,000 worlds would finally regain its peace and prosperity!
The Profound Abundant World was nothing when compared to the entire Swallowing Seas Territory.
For instance, there were quite a number of Universe Worlds like Profound Abundant World in this Great Territory. The development of these Universe Worlds’ Martial Dao differed, with some being strong and some being weak. The stronger Universe Worlds had given birth to some Open Heaven Realm Masters, while the weaker Universe Worlds were like the Star Boundary in the past, where cultivators couldn’t even escape from the World’s shackles.
The Profound Abundant World could be considered average and was the homeworld of Profound Abundant Sect. According to the classification of various Sects in the 3,000 Worlds, Profound Abundant Sect could barely be considered a Second Class Great Force with three Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters assuming command.
Such a force could be found anywhere in the 3,000 Worlds. They were neither at the top of the ladder nor were they at the bottom, most of the time having to rely on the stronger Second Class Great Forces to survive.
The most powerful force in the entire Swallowing Seas Territory was undoubtedly the Swallowing Seas Sect, hence the name for this Great Territory.
Nearly a month ago, Swallowing Seas Sect announced that the Black Ink Clan had invaded the 3,000 Worlds on a massive scale. As the hegemon of Swallowing Seas Territory, the Swallowing Seas Sect ordered all the great forces, whether they were big or small, to immediately make preparations to evacuate.
When the news came out, everyone in the Profound Abundant Sect was completely dumbfounded.
Naturally, they were confused as to what the Black Ink Clan was. They had never even heard of this Clan before, and now they were invading?
After asking around a bit, Profound Abundant Sect eventually came to learn that the Human Race had an ancient enemy, the Black Ink Clan. The Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises had been trying to stop the invasion of the Black Ink Clan in a place known as the Black Ink Battlefield for countless millennia; but unfortunately, the Human Race had suffered a great defeat a few years ago and their defensive lines were broken one after another, giving the Black Ink Clan the chance to invade.
As for the conscription order issued by the Cave Heavens and Paradises a few hundred years ago, that was to summon every Open Heaven Realm Master available to the battlefield to provide reinforcements.
During that conscription period, two of the three Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters of Profound Abundant Sect had been taken away, leaving only Zhu Ge Xing Wei, the Vice Sect Master, to oversee the Sect.
Zhu Ge Xing Wei found himself under a lot of pressure, finding it extremely hard to handle everything all on his own.
When the Swallowing Seas Sect sent word about the Black Ink Clan, Zhu Ge Xing Wei gathered all the Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Sect in the conference hall to discuss the matter. Profound Abundant Sect was a little lost as to what to do when they received the order to evacuate and relocate.
This was no simple task. Open Heaven Realm Masters could cross the void and escape from Swallowing Seas Territory, but what about Profound Abundant Sect’s disciples who had yet to reach the Open Heaven Realm?
What about all the living beings in the Profound Abundant World?
This was the place where almost all of them had been born and raised. It was always difficult to leave one’s homeland, and no one wanted to abandon their foundation and family. Who would be so cruel-hearted to do so without even trying to resist?
What’s more, if they left, who would protect the Profound Abundant World?
Furthermore, these Open Heaven Realm Masters here did not have high cultivations, with the strongest of them being in the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm, not having the ability to take away all the mortals from Profound Abundant World. With the Black Ink Clan about to arrive, anyone left behind would undoubtedly die.
The Open Heaven Realm Masters of the Sect were quickly divided into two camps. One side prioritized their own safety, with the opinion that only by surviving could one still have hope. They believed that since a powerful enemy like the Black Ink Clan was upon them, they should quickly follow Swallowing Seas Sect’s orders.
The other side felt that they should defend Profound Abundant World to the death and resist the Black Ink Clan to the end.
The Open Heaven Realm Masters of both sides kept endlessly arguing, with neither of them able to convince the other. Watching this, Zhu Ge Xing Wei had a huge headache. He was only a Vice Sect Master. Generally, it was the Sect Master who made decisions of this gravity, but now that the Sect Master and the other Vice Sect Master had been sent to the frontlines, it was a little difficult for him to bear the weight of Profound Abundant Sect alone.
As such, he remained silent, not giving his opinion.
Before Profound Abundant Sect could come to a decision though, a disciple suddenly rushed in, reporting that the enemy was already here. Shocked, Zhu Ge Xing Wei led the other Elders of the Sect to investigate, encountering a squad of Black Ink Clansmen just outside Profound Abundant World and immediately getting into a fight with them.
Human Squads were basically composed of 10 to 15 soldiers, but the Black Ink Clan’s squads were different, numbering anywhere from several dozen to over 1,000 members. Compared to the Human Race, the Black ink Clan always had dominance in number.
This time, not many Black Ink Clansmen had come to Profound Abundant World, only numbering about 70.
Although Profound Abundant Sect wasn’t big, they still had some 200 Open Heaven Realm Masters, but most of their Orders were quite low with few real Masters among them.
200 Open Heaven Realm Masters versus 70 or so Black Ink Clansmen. At first, Profound Abundant Sect did not feel any kind of pressure, but after noticing the peculiarity of the Black Ink Strength, everyone began to panic, especially the disciples who were now being attacked by their fellow disciples who had been corrupted. They found this whole scenario hard to come to terms with.
When the High-Rank Black Ink Clansmen leader in the rear revealed his powerful aura, Profound Abundant Sect finally realized how dangerous the enemy they were facing was.
The Black Ink Clan squad leader was comparable to a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
In the entire history of Profound Abundant Sect, there had never been a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!
Fortunately, this Black Ink Clansman didn’t seem to have any intention of personally participating in the battle. Rather, he seemed intent on remaining on the sidelines and simply observing the situation, as if he was afraid that something unforeseen could happen, allowing Profound Abundant Sect disciples to hold on until now; otherwise, they would have already lost.
Zhu Ge Xing Wei was filled with sadness. [Sect Master entrusted Profound Abundant Sect to me before he left. Will the Sect fall today?]
[How can I face the ancestors of Profound Abundant Sect?]
He even tried to sneak attack that High-Rank Black Ink Clansman, but though he managed to close in on him, he had been sent flying by that Black Ink Clan Master with a single slap. Not only had he failed, but he was even contaminated by some of the Black Ink Strength.
At this time, nearly 30% of the many Open Heaven Realm Masters in Profound Abundant Sect had been turned into Black Ink Disciples, 20% had died, and another 30% or so had been contaminated by Black Ink Strength. From the looks of it, they wouldn’t be able to last much longer.
Everyone was filled with despair. At this point, even if they tried to escape, they would not be able to. The only thing waiting for them was either being turned into Black Ink Disciples or being killed on the battlefield, there was no third option.
At that moment, a streak of light flew over from afar, drawing the disciples’ eyes as someone shouted, “Elder Pang has returned!”
The original low morale was suddenly uplifted.
Elder Pang’s cultivation wasn’t high, just Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm, but he had been sent by Zhu Ge Xing Wei to seek help from the Swallowing Seas Sect.
When Zhu Ge Xing Wei noticed that things were not looking good, he sent Elder Pang straight to the Swallowing Seas Sect, which had Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters assuming command. Zhu Ge Xing hoped that with the help of a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, the tide could be turned.
Hearing this, Zhu Ge Xing Wei, who was in the midst of a fierce battle, turned his head in the direction of Swallowing Seas Sect and saw Elder Pang’s approaching figure.
Despite that, Zhu Ge Xing Wei didn’t show any signs of relief, because Elder Pang had returned alone, without any reinforcements!
Elder Pang was a courageous and stalwart man. Although he had cultivated for many years, he had not lost his drive to improve. At this moment, he charged straight at the High-Rank Black Ink Clansman.
Be that as it may, a Fourth-Order cultivation was too weak. The moment Elder Pang arrived in front of the High-Rank Black Ink Clansman, he was lifted high up by the neck by the Black Ink Clansman.
“Elder Pang!” A disciple called out.
Elder Pang’s face turned red as the rich Black Ink Strength began corroding his Small Universe, only able to roar, “Run! Swallowing Seas Sect is besieged by the Black Ink Clan Army, they can’t even defend themselves, let alone send help here!”
The reason he had risked his life to rush back here was to convey this message to his Sect so that they wouldn’t wait for anything.
His words sent chills down every Profound Abundant Sect disciple’s spine.
Originally, they had hoped that Swallowing Seas Sect would be able to come to their aid and save them from this crisis, but with the Black Ink Clan Army attacking them too, how could they possibly send support?
In fact, Elder Pang wasn’t the only one who had gone to ask for help. Another Elder had gone to another Sect that was on good terms with Profound Abundant Sect. That Sect was very close to the Profound Abundant Sect, so logically speaking, they should have arrived to help long ago.
After hearing Elder Pang’s words, how could Zhu Ge Xing Wei not know that the situation of that Sect was likely the same as theirs? Even the Elder who had gone to seek help had most likely died.
Profound Abundant Sect was really going to be exterminated today, and Profound Abundant World… would also be destroyed!
In fact, the entire Swallowing Seas Territory was about to be conquered by the Black Ink Clan!
In such a desperate situation, Zhu Ge Xing Wei suddenly didn’t feel anxious anymore, as if he had just thrown away some kind of burden. The long sword in his hand shook as he prepared to charge the leading High-Rank Black Ink Clansman.
Even if they were to die here today, they could not allow the Black Ink Clan to look down on Profound Abundant Sect!
But, before he could do anything, he suddenly felt that something was amiss. The next moment, the surrounding space started to distort as Void Cracks began to emerge like the cracks on a mirror.
The next moment, the Black Ink Clan squad that made the entire Profound Abundant Sect helpless was sliced into pieces by the innumerable cracks.
Zhu Ge Xing Wei clearly saw a crack appear on the neck of the High-Rank Black Ink Clansman, cutting right through it.
The enemy leader’s face was filled with shock. Obviously, he still could not understand what just happened. Immediately after, a fountain of Black Ink blood spurted from his neck as his head separated from his body.
Elder Pang, whose neck had been squeezed to the point where he could barely breathe, finally managed to extricate himself. He instantly shot a palm at the High-Rank Black Ink Clansman’s corpse, blowing it to pieces, while he became completely drenched in Black Ink Blood.
This sudden change shocked everyone.
In the blink of an eye, all of the Void Cracks disappeared and space returned to normal, leaving behind bits and pieces of Black Ink Clansmen floating in front of everyone. All the Black Ink Clansmen had been killed on the spot, leaving only the Black Ink Disciples behind. Be that as it may, this shocking turn of events left everyone perplexed, unable to understand what just happened.
Zhu Ge Xing Wei, on the other hand, seemed to have noticed something. He suddenly turned his head, and saw a young man slowly approaching. His aura wasn’t obvious, so Zhu Ge Xing Wei couldn’t determine his cultivation either, but the only thing this Vice Sect Master of Profound Abundant Sect was certain of was that the one who had saved them and killed the Black Ink Clansmen was this young man!
[He should be at least a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!]
Zhu Ge Xing Wei was overjoyed. As far as he was concerned, a Cave Heaven or Paradise Master had appeared.
The next moment, he saw the opposite party bring his hands together before a pure and gentle white light enveloped the entire battlefield. The pure white light rapidly dispelled the Black Ink Strength wherever it passed. Even the Black Ink Disciples who had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength let out miserable screams as black wisps of energy emerged from their bodies and rapidly vanished into nothingness.
When he was on the Black Ink Battlefield, Yang Kai was quite conservative and restrained when using Purifying Light; after all, he didn’t know how long he would be on the Black Ink Battlefield and the Yellow and Blue Crystals could only be produced in the Chaotic Dead Territory. If all of them were used up, he would be unable to replenish them.
But Yang Kai had just cleaned out the entire Chaotic Dead Territory now, nearly emptying out all of Big Brother Huang’s and Big Sister Lan’s possessions, leaving him with dozens of mountains worth of Yellow and Blue Crystals in his Small Universe. His current stock of resources was so rich that he no longer needed to mind this kind of extravagant expenditure.
Soon, all of the Black Ink Strength was dispersed by Purifying Light.
Just as Zhu Ge Xing Wei was about to thank Yang Kai, his figure flickered before it vanished from Zhu Ge Xing Wei’s sight. Only a voice could be heard from afar, “I’m heading to Swallowing Seas Sect. You should heal yourself first, we’ll talk later.”
A load was immediately lifted off everyone’s mind.
They might not know where this High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master appeared from, but he had obviously heard what Elder Pang had said and was planning to assist the Swallowing Seas Sect.
Swallowing Seas Sect should be safe and sound with the appearance of this Master, and so should Swallowing Seas Territory.
Zhu Ge Xing Wei was about to lead his disciples back to the Sect to rest and recover when he suddenly heard someone break into loud sobs. He immediately looked over and saw a disciple surnamed Zhou holding a woman’s corpse in his arms. The disciple, who was usually stoic and rigid, was now weeping mournfully, his face was filled with incomparable grief.
Profound Abundant Sect wasn’t very big; as such, Zhu Ge Xing Wei knew all of the Open Heaven Realm Masters here and recognized this disciple at a glance.
This disciple surnamed Zhou was corrupted by that strange Black Ink Strength, and turned traitor during the battle. The woman in his arms was his Dao Companion whom he had been together with for hundreds of years. They were completely in love with each other, but in the battle, he had killed her, showing no mercy!
Even though this was the first time they had fought the Black Ink Clan, the first time they had faced Black Ink Strength, this scene made everyone understand just how treacherous it was.
This was an energy that could completely warp a cultivator’s mind and will!
Once they were completely corrupted by this energy, they would no longer recognize their friends and family.
It wasn’t just the disciple surnamed Zhao who had switched sides and killed his fellow disciples. At this moment, many other disciples’ faces were filled with pain and guilt.
As for the rest, they were vigilantly staring at these people and maintaining a certain distance from them, as if they were afraid their fellow disciples would attack them again.
Zhu Ge Xing Wei believed that this was highly unlikely; after all, that High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master had just used some kind of Secret Technique to dispel all the Black Ink Strength, but he still didn’t know how to resolve this situation.
Friends and families had turned against each other, and an air of distrust filled the surroundings.
Zhu Ge Xing Wei had deeply experienced the terror of the Black Ink Clan today!
Their strength was not just reflected in their combat power, but also in the insidious nature of Black Ink Strength!
“Senior Brother Zhou!” Someone suddenly shouted in panic.
Zhu Ge Xing Wei’s expression changed as his figure shot towards the disciples surnamed Zhou before coming to a stop as a heavy sigh escaped his lips. The disciple surnamed Zhou, who was holding his sweetheart, let out a heart-wrenching cry before he shattered his own Small Universe. His World Force swiftly leaked out and his aura started to rapidly wane, even his vitality began to decrease with the dissipation of his aura.
Obviously, the cultivator surnamed Zhou couldn’t bear the guilt of killing his beloved with his own hands, so he ended his life to accompany her to the next life.
On the verge of death, the teary-eyed disciple surnamed Zhou turned to Zhu Ge Xing Wei and begged, “Vice Sect Master, please bury us in the apricot forest…”
Profound Abundant Sect had an apricot forest, which was the place where he and his companion first fell in love.
Zhu Ge Xing Wei reluctantly nodded his assurance, “This Old Master will!”
A smile finally appeared on the disciple surnamed Zhou’s face, “Many thanks, Vice Sect Master…”
Just like that, he passed away!
Tears welled up in everyone’s eyes.
Zhu Ge Xing Wei quickly stated, “All of you follow me back to the Sect, we’ll wait for that Senior’s return.”
He was truly worried that the other disciples wouldn’t be able to bear the guilt in their hearts and chose to end their own lives like the disciple surnamed Zhou, so he immediately mustered his strength and wrapped everyone in it before flying towards the Profound Abundant Sect.
…..
As the hegemon of Swallowing Seas Territory, the Swallowing Seas Sect was quite powerful, almost comparable to the Void Land of 1,000 years ago. After many years of accumulation, they had seven Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, two of whom had the qualifications to break through to the Seventh-Order; however, as were they scared of what might happen, and lacked the necessary resources, they did not dare to casually attempt a breakthrough and had languished in the Sixth-Order until now.
Previously, half of the Swallowing Seas Sect Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters had left under the Cave Heaven and Paradises’ conscription order. Two months back, a Squad claiming to belong to the Mo Sha Western Army arrived at Swallowing Seas Sect, asking them to send a message to all the Sects in the Great Territory to prepare for evacuation and relocation.
The Black Ink Clan Army was approaching!
Swallowing Seas Sect had never heard of the Mo Sha Western Army, they only knew of Mo Sha Heaven, which was one of the 36 Cave Heavens. Swallowing Seas Territory itself fell under the loose jurisdiction of Mo Sha Heaven.
One of the members of the Squad belonging to the Mo Sha Western Army was a Sixth-Order Elder who had been recruited from their Swallowing Seas Sect. This Elder had participated in the battle against the Black Ink Clan in the Barren Territory and was the last surviving Sixth-Order Elder who had been recruited from the Swallowing Seas Sect.
The other three Sixth-Order Elders, including one of their Vice Sect Masters, had all died in battle!
After this Elder, who was originally from Swallowing Seas Sect, explained everything, Swallowing Seas Sect quickly understood the dire crisis they were facing. How could they dare to be negligent after hearing straight from one of their own Elders? Disciples were quickly sent out to the various great forces to relay the evacuation orders while the Sect actively prepared to withdraw.
Unfortunately, the Black Ink Clan Army arrived before they could depart.
Worse, they were faced with a true Black Ink Clan Army. Although no Territory Lord was overseeing this Army, there were a dozen Feudal Lords and some 50,000 Black Ink Clan soldiers.
Swallowing Seas Sect’s entire roster did not exceed 3,000, of which only about 10% were Open Heaven Realm Masters. How could they be a match for such a powerful enemy?
Fortunately, the Squad belonging to the Mo Sha Western Army was quite strong. They had a total of 13 soldiers, of which two were Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters. They also had a somewhat functional Squad-Class Warship. Much to everyone’s shock, this Squad actually charged the Black Ink Clan Army, killing one of the Black Ink Clan Feudal Lords and injuring another.
Be that as it may, two fists could not block four palms, and the Squad was forced to withdraw.
Their Warships had suffered serious damage during the battle in the Barren Territory, and after going through another deadly conflict, it was all but scrapped now.
Without the help of a Warship, the Squad’s combat effectiveness dropped dramatically and they were left with no choice but to retreat to Swallowing Seas Sect to take advantage of their Sect Defending Array to contend with the Black Ink Clan.
Swallowing Seas Sect’s Sect Defending Array was also quite extraordinary as over the millennia it had been reinforced and enhanced by the Sect’s Array Masters. Although it was not impregnable, it would not be a problem to hold on for three to five months.
The difficult part was how to break out of this encirclement. One day, the Array would be broken, and if the Swallowing Seas Sect had not managed to escape before then, they would all die.
But now, 50,000 soldiers of the Black Ink Clan Army had surrounded the Spirit Province where the Swallowing Seas Sect was situated. Basically, they had no route to escape!
At this moment, Swallowing Seas Sect Master Yang Qing looked towards the rioting Black Ink Clan Army outside the Grand Array with a worried frown.
Standing not far from him was the Squad Leader of the Mo Sha Western Army’s Squad, Wang Xuan Yi.
According to the Elder who had evacuated with this Squad, their mission was to assist in the evacuation of Swallowing Seas Territory’s cultivators.
Many Squads like them were dispatched to different Great Territories of the 3,000 Worlds. The evacuation and migration was not only limited to Swallowing Seas Territory, but rather included all other Great Territories.
Yang Qing had also asked where they should retreat to. Wang Xuan Yi had told him that their destination was the Great Territory where the Star Boundary was located!
The two remaining Old Ancestors of the Human Race, Xiao Xiao and Wu Qing, felt that the Star Boundary was the foundation and hope for the revival of the Human Race, so it had to be protected no matter what!
That place would be the last pure land for the Human Race to survive in.
At first, Yang Qing was a little reluctant to part with Swallowing Seas Sect and its 10,000-year foundation, but Wang Xuan Yi, on the other hand, gave him a wry smile. The 10,000-year heritage of Swallowing Seas Sect was light compared to the millions of years of inheritance the Cave Heavens and Paradises would be abandoning in the current situation.
Yang Qing felt a little better after hearing this.
If even behemoths like the Cave Heavens and Paradises were forced to retreat, how could Swallowing Seas Sect escape the calamity?
At this point though, the question was no longer whether to retreat or not, but whether they could retreat or not!
Turning around, Yang Qing asked, “Squad Leader Wang, will there be no other reinforcements from the Army?”
Wang Xuan Yi slowly shook his head in response, “The Human Race Army suffered heavy casualties on the Barren Territory battlefield. Although Old Ancestors Xiao Xiao and Wu Qing promptly ordered our forces to retreat, the number of troops who maintained combat effectiveness was still insufficient. Everything related to Swallowing Seas Territory will be handled by our Squad. Our original plan was to rush to the Mo Sha Territory Universe Temple within three months, where we would rendezvous with people from other Great Territories before heading to the Star Boundary. If we don’t arrive at Mo Sha Territory Universe Temple in time though, no one will wait for us.”
Yang Qing’s face turned slightly pale.
He was well aware of the heavy losses that Wang Xuan Yi had mentioned. Although he had not gone to the Barren Territory to participate in the battle, Swallowing Seas Sect had sent four Sixth-Order Elders, but only one of them had returned alive while the other three had died after just a few years of fighting.
Yang Qing could imagine how intense the battle was from this fact alone.
It would be impossible to break out of this encirclement without reinforcements, so most probably, a horrible end was waiting for Swallowing Seas Sect.
Before Yang Qing could ask any more questions, Wang Xuan Yi flicked his sleeve and stepped forward, “I will lead my Squad to launch another attack. If we can kill a few of the Feudal Lords, Swallowing Seas Sect’s crisis will be easily resolved. The chances of that happening aren’t high, but in the worst-case scenario, my men and I will try our best to create an opening in their lines. Sect Master Yang, at that time, lead your men and rush out… take as many as you can!”
Yang Qing raised his hand, wanting to say something, but eventually swallowed the words hanging on the tip of his tongue.
A deep sense of respect welled up in Swallowing Seas Sect Master’s heart at the sight of Wang Xuan Yi’s departing figure.
For countless years, he had never had a good impression of the so-called elites who came from the Cave Heavens and Paradises. He felt they were just luckier and had a better background. If he was also from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, he might have been able to reach the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
But now, after learning that the Cave Heavens and Paradises had sacrificed so much to protect the Human Race for hundreds of thousands of years on the Black Ink Battlefield, Yang Qing couldn’t help but feel ashamed.
At this moment, even though Wang Xuan Yi knew that facing tens of thousands of Black Ink Clansmen would only result in death, he still stepped forward!
Could Wang Xuan Yi escape? With his Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation, if he really tried to flee, the Black Ink Clan probably wouldn’t be able to stop him.
Nonetheless, he didn’t run and instead chose to fight to give the Swallowing Seas Sect even a small chance to survive.
People, who had no connection with the Swallowing Seas Sect, were sacrificing themselves for their Sect. Yang Qing’s heart, which had turned to stone after cultivating for many years, could not help but start beating once more, truly touched.
Facing the departing figure, Yang Qing kowtowed and didn’t get up for a long time.
He believed just like Wang Xuan Yi here, hundreds of thousands of others just like him were working to save the various Sects of all the other Great Territories!
Swallowing Seas Sect was located on a Spirit Province, which was the foundation of their Sect. As the hegemon of Swallowing Seas Territory, the Swallowing Seas Sect was not like Profound Abundant Sect which was situated on a Universe World with many mortals.
Swallowing Seas Sect was similar to Void Land in this respect.
Void Land was also located on a Spirit Province, though that Spirit Province was actually formed atop Bi Xi’s shell.
At this moment, the 3,000 disciples were gathered in one spot within Swallowing Seas Sect, ready to leave at a moment’s notice. Many of the young and tender faces were filled with restlessness and nervousness while many of the women were softly sobbing, helpless and panic-stricken.
Just now, the Sect’s higher-ups had ordered the entire Sect to prepare to evacuate.
Be that as it may, how could it be that easy to evacuate when the Black Ink Clan Army still surrounded Swallowing Seas Sect? These disciples might not have gone through the fires of war before, but that did not mean they were fools. They knew that few, if any of them would survive this evacuation.
But if they didn’t try, only death awaited them.
Meanwhile, every remaining Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in the Sect, along with Yang Qing, looked up. The other disciples could not clearly see what was happening outside due the Sect Defending Array around them, but Yang Qing and the others could.
Under everyone’s attentive gaze, Wang Xuan Yi’s Squad bravely charged the Black Ink Clan Army in their half-destroyed Warship. One after another, Secret Techniques and artifacts lit up the void, killing and injuring the Black Ink Clansmen in their path.
This was a veteran Squad that had gone through countless fights, with every member having fought at least 100 battles against the Black Ink Clan. How to draw out the most strength to cause the most damage in this dire situation was something their Squad knew better than anyone.
They also understood that this would be their final battle!
As such, they unleashed their strongest attacks without holding anything back, determined to go out in a blaze of glory, taking as many enemies with them as possible!
The brazen attacks of the Human Squad quickly drew the ire of the Feudal Lords, and it was not long before 10 Feudal Lords surrounded them from all sides.
These Feudal Lords also knew that this Squad was the only real combat force the Humans had here. As long as they had eliminated this Squad, the rest would be nothing more than fish on the chopping block, completely at their mercy!
Therefore, the Feudal Lords reached a consensus to concentrate all their power to kill this Squad as quickly as possible.
The Feudal Lords immediately launched a joint attack, their powerful energy fluctuations clearly felt by everyone back in the Swallowing Seas Sect.
Yang Qing and the others couldn’t help but become nervous, their eyes cracked wide open as they stared fixedly without even daring to blink.
The Warship, which was already not that far from being sunk, exploded under the bombardment and several Squad members were heavily injured.
Even Wang Xuan Yi and his Vice Squad Leader were thrown out by this powerful wave of attacks, their responses becoming more and more sluggish.
Furthermore, the Feudal Lords launched another salvo of attacks before they could recover.
Wang Xuan Yi’s expression became grim as he shouted, “Formation!”
In the blink of an eye, the 13 members of the Squad moved closer, standing in a criss-cross manner as their auras linked with one another. In the blink of an eye, the 13 soldiers formed a rudimentary Battle Formation with the two Seventh-Order Masters acting as the Core.
As everyone simultaneously circulated their World Force, a dazzling flash of light blinded everyone outside. The next moment, the thirteen figures were nowhere to be found, in place of them was a monstrous sword!
The might of this enormous sword was simply otherworldly, and its Sword Intent rippled across the open sky. Nonetheless, when the attacks of the Feudal Lords and Black Ink Clansmen rained down on it, its aura rapidly began to dwindle as groans and the sound of someone coughing up blood came from inside.
Obviously, some of the Squad members were critically wounded.
Still, the giant sword condensed of pure World Force managed to maintain coherence before flying straight at the two nearest Feudal Lords.
Seeing this, the two Feudal Lords quickly tried to retreat and hide behind the Army they commanded to move forward, but for some unknown reason, they suddenly felt as if a mountain was pressing down on them and they were simply unable to move.
The next moment, the enormous sword of light brushed past the two Feudal Lords, splitting them in half like tofu. The two Feudal Lords’ eyes bulged in shock and disbelief, as if they were unable to understand how they died.
Inside the giant sword, Wang Xuan Yi was also slightly taken aback. Although the Battle Formation they had assumed was good, it should not be this strong.
Nonetheless, the current situation was critical so he did not have time to dwell much on it and simply assumed that these two Feudal Lords had been overconfident and careless. As such, the sword of light spun around and flew towards the next closest Feudal Lord.
The dissipation of the two Feudal Lords’ auras could clearly be felt through the Sect Defending Array of Swallowing Seas Sect. Such an obvious movement was noticed even by the disciples of lower cultivation.
This immediately sent many disciples into a panic, having no idea whether the ones who had fallen were friends or foes.
Sensing the restlessness among his disciples, Yang Qing raised his arm and shouted, “Don’t panic, our Seventh-Order allies just killed two of the Feudal Lords!”
Swallowing Seas Sect had a rough understanding of the classification of the Black Ink Clan through Wang Xuan Yi and the others’ explanations over the past few days. As such, they knew that the so-called Feudal Lords were on par with the Seventh-Order Master!
As far as Swallowing Seas Sect was concerned, Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters were unreachable existences, yet now, two such Feudal Lords had been killed!
How long had it been since the battle began?
After hearing this news, the taut nerves of the disciples relaxed significantly. Although they couldn’t see anything, everyone still turned their eyes towards the outside, hope and expectation returning to their faces!
As soon as Yang Qing’s voice fell, everyone could feel the dissipation of another Master’s aura.
Immediately after, they felt another!
And another!
The disciples were completely dumbstruck, completely oblivious to what was happening outside, all of them turning to Sect Master Yang Qing, hoping for an explanation.
Yang Qing’s face flushed red as he shouted, “Five of the Feudal Lords have been killed! Team Leader Wang and his men’s might is truly unparalleled!”
The other Sixth-Order Elders around him nodded in agreement.
At this moment, everyone wondered if the Feudal Lords were just weak. If not, how could they be killed like chickens by Wang Xuan Yi’s small Squad of 13?
This didn’t make sense though, as the strength the Feudal Lords had displayed earlier was quite amazing.
Could it be that Wang Xuan Yi and the others had been hiding their true strength all along? Was this the full extent of their power?
Whatever may be the case, the death of five Feudal Lords was good news for Swallowing Seas Sect. They were already prepared for the worst, so they never expected Wang Xuan Yi’s Squad to be so fearsome.
Half the Feudal Lords had already been killed, so if just a few more could be killed, the Black Ink Clan Army’s leadership would completely collapse. Without a Master to organize them, Wang Xuan Yi’s Squad would have no trouble routing the common Black Ink Clan soldiers.
Soon, everyone could sense the Feudal Lords’ auras dissipating one after another.
Yang Qing and the others couldn’t help but marvel in their hearts. [The Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters of the Cave Heavens and Paradises are astonishing! They can easily kill Black Ink Clansmen of the same realm like they are slaughtering pigs and dogs!]
On the other hand, Wang Xuan Yi was also dumbstruck, along with all the members of his Squad.
Yang Qing and the others might be unaware of how strong Feudal Lords were, allowing them to think that while they had a high realm, their strength was severely lacking, but how could an experienced Squad be so ignorant?
Although a Feudal Lord was indeed weaker than the average Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, that did not mean they were easy to kill.
If the Feudal Lords were really so worthless, the Human Race wouldn’t have suffered so much damage over the years.
But now, their Giant Sword Formation had become completely unstoppable, and all the Feudal Lords here were basically powerless to resist even a single blow.
The Squad members’ excitement was through the roof, but Wang Xuan Yi and the other Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master keenly noticed that something was strange about this entire affair.
It did not take long before they realized that some Master was secretly helping them. It wasn’t that the Feudal Lords weren’t trying to dodge or resist, rather they were simply unable to do so as some powerful force was locking them in place. This was the reason why they were succeeding so easily.
Understanding this, Wang Xuan Yi no longer had any scruples. Controlling the Giant Sword Formation with his Vice Squad Leader, they raced back and forth across the Black Ink Clan Army, killing all in their path without any resistance!
In short order, all the Feudal Lords were killed and the remaining Black Ink Clansmen broke into pandemonium.
Immediately after, an even bigger commotion could be heard from the outer edge of the Black Ink Clan Army.
At some point in time, the sounds of battle rang out from the periphery as numerous blazing suns and crescent moons rose into the sky one after another, illuminating the entire void.
Wang Xuan Yi was now at a loss as he had no idea what was going on. He immediately drove the Giant Sword Formation towards the periphery of the Black Ink Clan Army to investigate, but when he reached there, he was left completely dumbfounded.
Much to his surprise, he was greeted by the sight of numerous strange creatures engaged in a fierce battle with the Black Ink Clan Army. The sighting of blazing suns and crescent moons was caused by these creatures.
Wang Xuan Yi had never seen such creatures before. All of them looked quite gruff and even a bit simple, like they did not have any sentience. What’s more, it was like their entire body was made up of rocks.
He even saw one of them being torn apart by a Black Ink Clan soldier, but instead of blood flowing out, it was simply reduced to a pile of rubble!
[What are these things?]
He might not have any idea where these creatures popped out from, but they were currently attacking the Black Ink Clan Army. The Black Ink Clan Army of 50,000 soldiers, which had completely surrounded Swallowing Seas Sect, was now surrounded by these strange-looking creatures.
It was exactly as the old adage goes, ‘life is full of ups and downs’.
These creatures looked quite naïve, but when they fought the Black Ink Clan, they were both ruthless and fearless! Furthermore, the Black Ink Strength which the Black Ink Clan was so proud of was completely useless against them.
Wang Xuan Yi wanted to take a closer look, but he quickly noticed that the Giant Sword Formation’s momentum was growing noticeably weaker.
While carrying out the previous attack, not only had his Squad members consumed too much World Force, but many of them had also suffered injuries, making it difficult to maintain the Formation.
When he set out earlier, he had done so with the determination to die in battle, but it seemed his predestined time had not yet arrived. The sword of light turned around as Wang Yuan Yi led his Squad back to Swallowing Seas Sect, sending a Divine Sense transmission from afar, “Sect Master Yang, please open the Array!”
Yang Qing didn’t dare to be negligent and hurriedly formed a hand seal before pointing towards the Grand Array. The next moment, a gap cracked open in the shield, allowing the Giant Sword Formation to rush inside like a bolt of lightning, falling onto the main square of Swallowing Seas Sect. The dozen or so Squad members were no longer able to maintain the Formation and immediately sprawled out on the ground, gasping for breath like fish on the verge of death.
Yang Qing and the others came to greet them, and when he saw the pale faces of Wang Xuan Yi and the others, as well as the blood dripping from the corners of their mouths, his eyes immediately turned red as he respectfully bowed, “Many thanks for your life-saving efforts.”
Waving them off, Wang Xuan Yi and his Squad members took out pills and swallowed them before sitting down cross-legged to adjust their breathing.
Wang Xuan Yi and the others had already returned, but the shockwaves of people fighting could still be felt coming from the void and auras were dissipating one after another. Yang Qing and the others looked up, and the next thing they saw left them completely dumbfounded, the Black Ink Clan Army surrounding Swallowing Seas Sect was fleeing like stray dogs.
Furthermore, bright suns and crescent moons also appeared frequently.
[What’s going on?]
Yang Qing and the others were confused and wanted to ask, but Wang Xuan Yi and the others were currently healing. It would be improper to disturb them, so they could only wait quietly.
At first, the battle in the void was quite intense, but it gradually calmed down.
After an hour or two, everything went still and they did not feel or hear anything more.
The Black Ink Strength spread out after the deaths of the Black Ink Clansmen had filled the void outside Swallowing Seas Sect and nothing could be seen through it, not the shining stars or the moon, nothing at all. The Black Ink Strength had isolated everything, causing the entire Swallowing Seas Sect to become extremely dim.
Swallowing Seas Sect’s Sixth-Order Masters were a little perturbed; after all, they had no idea what the current situation was.
At this moment, Wang Xuan Yi opened his eyes. Although he hadn’t fully healed, he could be considered to have recovered enough to move. He stood up and got straight to the point, “A Master is helping us.”
Yang Qing and the others were shocked. Wang Xuan Yi was already in the Seventh Order, so how strong was this ‘Master’ he spoke of?
Still, he now understood why Wang Xuan Yi and the others had been able to kill the Feudal Lords so easily. It was because someone was secretly assisting them.
Wang Xuan Yi bowed towards the void, “Mo Sha Army’s Wang Xuan Yi thanks Senior for your assistance. Could you please grace us with your presence?”
As soon as he finished speaking, the space in front of him suddenly distorted as a figure appeared out of thin air.
Yang Qing and the others were all appalled as their Sect Defending Array was still active. No one could enter their Sect without his permission, but this person had come in, ignoring the isolation of the Sect Defending Array entirely. Furthermore, no one, not even he sensed any abnormal reaction from the Sect Defending Array.
In other words, their Sect Defending Array was no different from air to this person.
What was even more surprising was that this man looked extremely young.
Although it was hard to judge a cultivator’s age from his or her appearance alone when their cultivation was profound, time still left its marks over a long period of cultivation.
As such, it was possible to roughly judge a cultivator’s age from the air around them.
When this man appeared before them, everyone could tell that he was truly young; no one present here felt that he was older than them!
The one who had come was naturally none other than Yang Kai. He wasn’t trying to act mysterious, he just wanted to observe the battle between the Small Stone Race Army and the Black Ink Clan Army without his direct interference.
When Yang Kai arrived from Profound Abundant Sect’s side, he happened to see Wang Xuan Yi’s Squad’s Warship being destroyed. Immediately after, their 13 members quickly assumed a Formation that took the shape of a giant sword. Yang Kai quietly assisted them in killing the Feudal Lords while setting up a perimeter around the Black Ink Clan Army.
If he wanted, he could have easily wiped out the Black Ink Army himself. Be that as it may, since he had brought the Small Stone Race Army from the Chaotic Dead Territory, Yang Kai wanted to test their strength.
As such, he pulled out two armies of Great Sun and Great Moon Small Stone Race, about 100,000 each.
The Small Stone Race’s intelligence was far too low, only knowing how to act according to their instincts. Even 1,000-metre-tall Small Stone Race members that were comparable to Eighth-Order Masters were no exception. If he could not find a way to control them, their usefulness would be greatly reduced, and this experiment greatly disappointed Yang Kai!
Unless he activated his Great Sun and Great Moon Marks, he was basically unable to command these Small Stone Race members.
Against the Black Ink Clan, they would simply charge at them and randomly attack, without any form of tactics or strategy.
The only advantage was that the Small Stone Race’s senses were extremely sharp when it came to Black Ink Strength, almost treating those that possessed it as mortal enemies.
Yang Kai suspected that their brains were only the size of a green bean, otherwise, how could they be so stupid?
What further rendered Yang Kai speechless was that, after killing the 50,000 or so Black Ink Clansmen, the two Small Stone Race armies began to fight amongst themselves, sending rocks flying in all directions!
He quickly activated his Great Sun and Great Moon Marks to collect what was left of them.
The reason why they were like this was because of the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer’s energy. The energies of these two Supreme Masters inherently opposed each other; as a result, the Great Sun and Great Moon Small Stone Race viewed each other as enemies.
After this, Yang Kai secretly decided that next time he would not release the Great Sun Small Stone Race and Great Moon Small Stone Race together.
As soon as Wang Xuan Yi requested to meet him, Yang Kai appeared. As for the Sect Defending Array of Swallowing Seas Sect… with Yang Kai’s current Mastery of the Dao of Space, it might as well not exist.
After Wang Xuan Yi’s self-introduction, Yang Kai knew that this Squad belonged to Mo Sha Army, so he nodded and introduced himself, “Great Evolution Army’s Yang Kai!”
Wang Xuan Yi was stunned for a moment before his eyes lit up, “So it is Division Commander Yang!”
Obviously, he had heard of Yang Kai.
However, after he had noticed that Yang Kai broke through to the Eighth Order and couldn’t help but marvel at his cultivation speed. [Compared to him, I’ve been living like a dog all these years.]
Yang Kai didn’t have the time to exchange pleasantries with him and simply asked, “Why are you here? How is the situation in the Barren Territory battlefield?”
He had been attacked by a Royal Lord in Wind Mist Territory and had no choice but to flee to the Chaotic Dead Territory for help. At that time, the boundary wall between Wind Mist Territory and the Barren Territory battlefield had already been broken through.
Although Yang Kai knew that the Black Ink Clan’s invasion could no longer be stopped, he really didn’t know what the current situation was.
Wang Xuan Yi’s expression immediately became gloomy after hearing Yang Kai’s question, “The Barren Territory battlefield has been abandoned already. In the final battle, 32 Old Ancestors, led by Pure Yang Cave Heaven’s Old Ancestor, managed to kill the 44 Royal Lords and severely wound the newly appeared Black Ink Giant Spiritual God. However, they also… sacrificed themselves. The Dragon and Phoenix Clan Leaders also died in battle. After that battle, the Human Race Army withdrew from the Barren Territory and split up into Squads that were deployed to the various Great Territories to assist in the evacuation. We are responsible for Swallowing Seas Territory. The higher-ups ordered us to lead the Swallowing Seas Territory cultivators to Mo Sha Territory’s Universe Temple where we will rally together with the surrounding Great Territories’ cultivators. The plan is to evacuate to the Star Boundary!”
Yang Kai’s head started ringing as if he was struck by lightning. All he heard Wang Xuan Yi mention was that 32 Ninth-Order Human Race Masters and even the Dragon and Phoenix Clan Leaders had perished. He did not hear the rest.
After the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction and the No-Return Pass battles, not many of the 100 or so Ninth-Order Old Ancestors were left, but now, 32 more had fallen on the Barren Territory battlefield, which was almost all of the Human Race’s top Masters.
[Does the Human Race still have any Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters left?]
In an instant, Yang Kai’s face went pale as he stumbled.
Yang Qing and the others also wore blank expressions.
For Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters like them, Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters like Wang Xuan Yi were already unparalleled existences, while Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters like Yang Kai were simply beyond their ability to meet.
Yet the Human Race had lost 32 Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters on the Barren Territory battlefield, along with the leaders of the Dragon and Phoenix Clans!
The leaders of the Dragon and Phoenix Clans were legendary existences that were rumoured to be as, or even more powerful than the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
When they heard about this from the Sixth-Order Elder who had evacuated from the Barren Territory Battlefield, their response was far more dramatic than Yang Kai’s.
“Division Commander Yang… Division Commander Yang!” Wang Xuan Yi called out several times before Yang Kai’s lifeless eyes slowly focused on him.
Yang Kai’s loss of cool did not go unnoticed by him, and he could empathize with his current mood.
The death of so many Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters was an eternal sorrow for the Human Race! Every surviving soldier would remember the shame of retreating from the Barren Territory battlefield.
He wanted to comfort Yang Kai, but he didn’t know what to say as any words seemed hollow and pointless. In the end, he simply pursed his lips and sighed.
Yang Kai, on the other hand, suddenly asked, “How many Royal Lords are left now?”
Wang Xuan Yi answered, “All the Royal Lords on the Barren Territory Battlefield were wiped out. As for whether there are Royal Lords left in other places, I have no idea.”
Yang Kai immediately understood the Old Ancestors’ intentions. They were paving the way forward for the younger generation!
All the Royal Lords on the Barren Territory battlefield were annihilated, while the Royal Lord who had chased Yang Kai to the Chaotic Dead Territory was killed by the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer.
In that case, there was only one Royal Lord left, and that was the one who was guarding the No-Return Pass. Yang Kai had met him before and was forced to use the corpse of the Black Ox and Azure Void Old Ancestor to deal with him.
At the moment, all the Royal Lords were Innate Royal Lords, and even the Territory Lords were all Innate Territory Lords.
There was no way for Innate Territory Lords to become Royal Lords.
In other words, if the Black Ink Clan wanted to produce new Royal Lords, they would need to raise them from scratch, which would take a very, very long time.
As such, the Human Race had gained some breathing room to grow.
The Old Ancestors knew that their current generation was unable to solve the problem of the Black Ink Clan, so they had left their hopes to the next generation. For this reason, they were even willing to sacrifice their lives to take out all of the Royal Lords on the Barren Territory battlefield.
Was there any hope for humanity’s future?
Yes, there was!
It was none other than the Star Boundary!
Yang Kai could even say that he himself was that hope as well!
Because whether it was the Star Boundary or his own Small Universe, both received feedback from a World Tree clone, which could produce a large number of prodigies, especially his Small Universe where the flow of time was seven times faster than the outside world. In some ways, he was even more useful than the Star Boundary.
Of course, the Star Boundary was much larger than his Small Universe, and so was its population. This was something his Small Universe could not compete in.
Overall, the Star Boundary and Small Universe had their advantages and disadvantages.
Combined with what Wang Xuan Yi had said before, the goal of the evacuation was the Star Boundary. The Old Ancestors’ plan was quite obvious.
The next generation would shoulder the heavy burden of revitalizing the Human Race. It was both a pressure and motivation. Only by purging the universe of the Black Ink Clan could they live up to the sacrifices of the many Old Ancestors.
Yang Kai wasn’t a fool. When he first learned that the Old Ancestors had died in battle, he had lost his composure, but after he had calmed down, he instantly understood their intentions.
Taking a deep breath, Yang Kai asked again, “Are there still any Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters left?”
Wang Xuan Yi nodded his affirmation, “Right now, there are two left, one is Old Ancestor Wu Qing and the other is Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao. Both Old Ancestors are currently guarding the Wind Mist Territory’s passageway against the heavily injured Black Ink Giant Spiritual God, just to be on the safe side.”
Yang Kai finally calmed down.
Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao was still alive.
Among all the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, he undoubtedly had the most contact with Old Ancestor Xiao Xiao and she had also taken care of him the most. He was glad to hear that she was alive, it was truly a small blessing among so many misfortunes.
Yang Kai silently calculated the difference in strength between both sides. On the Black Ink Clan’s side were two Black Ink Giant Spiritual Gods and one Royal Lord.
Whereas the Human Race had one Giant Spiritual God, two Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, and if the Dragon Clan’s Fu Guang didn’t die, the Dragon Clan also had a Divine Dragon.
Furthermore, there was also the Giant Spiritual God Ah Da whose whereabouts remained unknown.
As such, in terms of top combat strength, the Human Race actually had the advantage once Ah Da was added.
Be that as it may, since the Barren Territory’s defensive line was broken and the Black Ink Clan had launched a massive invasion on the 3,000 Worlds, these top Masters alone couldn’t stop them. Black Ink Strength was quite treacherous and extremely difficult to deal with, able to turn an entire Great Territory into the Black Ink Clan’s territory in an extremely short time.
In addition, the Human Race Army had suffered heavy losses over the years. Who knows how many Great Territories were suffering with the heavy losses the Human Race Army had suffered. It was also unknown how many Great Territories were currently tormented by the Black Ink Clan. Who knows how many Humans had been corrupted by Black Ink Strength and turned into the Black Ink Disciples? A mass evacuation of the 3,000 Worlds was a must.
Yang Kai suddenly thought of a problem, “What about the mortals and the countless cultivators who can’t cross the void?”
A great force like Swallowing Seas Sect still had the ability to evacuate the entire Sect; after all, they only had a few thousand disciples so with some flight-type artifacts everything was solved.
But what about Profound Abundant Sect?
What about the Profound Abundant World?
Just like the Star Boundary, the Profound Abundant World had billions, if not trillions of mortals living on it. Profound Abundant Sect couldn’t take all of them away, nor did Swallowing Seas Sect.
If they were to be left behind, the only thing waiting for them was to be turned into Black Ink Disciples, enslaved and ruled by the Black Ink Clan, completely at the enemy’s mercy.
Yang Kai had never given much thought to this before. In the current situation, evacuating and relocating to the Star Boundary was the only option, but only now did he suddenly realize this huge problem.
Gloom immediately took over Wang Xuan Yi’s face as he replied, pursing his lips, “There’s nothing we can do.”
He and the other Seventh-Order’s Small Universe could accommodate some living beings, but there was always a limit, and once they exceeded this limit, it would affect their strength.
There were over a dozen Universe Worlds in Swallowing Seas Territory, each one massive in both size and population.
The two Seventh-Order Master’s Small Universes couldn’t contain so many mortals in them no matter what.
The evacuation of the 3,000 Worlds was quite a quandary and every Squad responsible for this mission had considered this issue.
In the end, all they could do was bring as many with them as possible, but most of them would have to be abandoned.
This was an extremely cruel decision to make, but also the only option.
Yang Kai remained silent for a moment before stating, “Squad Leader Wang, assist Swallowing Seas Sect in evacuating. I’ll go to the Profound Abundant World.”
Wang Xuan heaved a sigh and consoled, “Division Commander Yang, there is a limit to everyone’s ability. All we can do is try our best.”
Obviously, he had misunderstood something. He thought that Yang Kai couldn’t bear to stand by and watch, and wanted to go to the Profound Abundant World and use his Small Universe to bring out as many people as possible.
Yang Kai nodded his acknowledgement before handing a Space Beacon to Wang Xuan Yi, instructing him to keep it close to him before disappearing.
Using Instantaneous Movement, it only took Yang Kai half an hour to arrive in the outer void of Profound Abundant World. It was quite a beautiful world, a huge Universe World was like a lustrous sapphire in the Starry Sky.
Once a beautiful Universe World like this was occupied by the Black Ink Clan though, this beautiful gem would be covered in dust.
There were more than a dozen such Universe Worlds in Swallowing Seas Territory and countless more across the entire 3,000 Worlds. Did the Human Race really have to abandon them all?
Yang Kai was extremely unwilling and wracked his brain to think of a way to resolve this issue.
After staring for a while, Yang Kai suddenly sat down cross-legged before his Divine Sense started surging towards the vast Universe World like a tidal wave.
Although Profound Abundant World was quite big, the Divine Sense of an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was extremely powerful.
Not to mention, it was Yang Kai, whose Soul was abnormally strong. Even an ordinary Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would be able to cover the entire Profound Abundant World with a single thought, so much less needed to be said about him.
The next moment, Yang Kai began manipulating Space Principles, squeezing the Void from all directions. At the same time, his hand quickly formed hand seals as beams of light shot towards Profound Abundant World. These beams of light disappeared into the Universe World before dazzling flashes lit it up.
He wanted to refine the entire Profound Abundant World into a World Bead!
Yang Kai had refined World Beads a long time ago in the Star Boundary.
At that time, Yang Kai’s cultivation wasn’t very high, only in the Emperor Realm. Even his mastery in the Dao of Space wasn’t very high, but he was still able to refine simple World Beads.
World Beads were a kind of storage artifact based on Yang Kai’s original Small Sealed World and could accommodate living beings.
In the past, when the Star Boundary and the Demon Race’s Armies fought, the Armies of the Star Boundary were extremely mobile thanks to these World Beads. Even Su Yan and the other women who were close to Yang Kai had obtained many World Beads, but their World Beads were not used to accommodate an Army but to kill enemies.
Although the World Beads were only the size of a small bead, they were actually refined from massive asteroids and even some Dead Stars. There was no need for any special technique, just throwing such a massive amount of mass at an enemy would cause considerable damage.
At that time, Su Yan and the others had used the World Beads given to them by Yang Kai to kill many powerful enemies.
Anyway, Yang Kai had not refined World Beads since then because there was no need, so the technique remained somewhat rough.
After breaking free from the Universe World’s shackles and leaving the Star Boundary, Yang Kai had spent all his time focusing on his own cultivation, so how could he be in the mood to engage in such pointless research?
Now, however, with the Black Ink Clan launching a large-scale invasion, countless living beings on thousands of Universe Worlds had no one to rely on. Since Yang Kai couldn’t take all of these people away on his own, he figured he could just pack up the entire Universe World!
In this world, perhaps Yang Kai was the only one who could come up with such a bold and crazy idea.
When he was in the Emperor Realm, Yang Kai had been able to refine World Beads from small Dead Stars, so now that he had advanced to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm, his strength was thousands of times greater than when he was in the Emperor Realm, while even his mastery over of the Dao of Space was far beyond what it was back then.
Therefore, Yang Kai didn’t think that refining the entire Profound Abundant World into a World Bead was just wishful thinking.
What’s more, his current achievements in the Dao of Artifact Refining and Dao of Spirit Arrays were also extraordinary.
As long as he regarded Profound Abundant World as a kind of Artifact Refining material, and used his understanding over the Dao of Spirit Arrays, Dao of Artifact Refining, and Dao of Space as a foundation, his idea was completely possible.
There was only one problem.
Yang Kai had to be extremely careful when refining this Universe World into an artifact. If he made a single mistake, it would likely cause the entire Profound Abundant World to collapse. At that time, the living beings of the Profound Abundant World were destined to suffer massive casualties under natural and man-made calamities.
Be that as it may, Yang Kai had no other choice. He couldn’t just teleport away all the living beings in this world before refining it.
Profound Abundant Sect, led by the acting Sect Master Zhu Ge Xing Wei, had previously received Yang Kai’s assistance and instructions, and was now preparing to evacuate.
The Sect was not as powerful as Swallowing Seas Sect, but the number of disciples they had was a dozen times higher, reaching the tens of thousands with widely varying cultivations.
After all, occupying an entire Universe World made it easier to select, accept, and house disciples.
Profound Abundant Sect, of course, had its own flight-type artifacts, a few ships of different sizes, which were normally only used by the Sect’s top Masters when they went out, but now they were being repurposed as evacuation ships.
But even if these ships were filled to the brim, they could only carry 5,000 people at most, so it had become a huge problem to decide who would leave and who would stay from tens of thousands of disciples.
Everyone had family and friends, and no one wanted to leave them behind. In less than half a day, the quota of 5,000 people had been filled after much deliberation by the Elders, but there were still many whom they needed to bring with them.
For a moment, the Elders in the main conference hall broke into a heated argument, giving Zhu Ge Xing Wei a massive headache. He was the acting Sect Master, but how could he have imagined that during his tenure, he would be faced with an event that would put the survival of Profound Abundant Sect in jeopardy?
Just as everyone was arguing, everything began to lightly shake. Faintly, something seemed to have changed in this Universe World.
Everyone was shocked and quickly came out to investigate. Upon looking up, they saw beams of light shooting towards them from all directions and disappearing into various parts of Profound Abundant World.
Every time a beam of light fell, the Profound Abundant World would slightly tremble.
Zhu Ge Xing Wei’s expression changed greatly as he quickly linked his consciousness with Profound Abundant World, wanting to investigate.
The reason he was able to accomplish this was not because of his extraordinary strength. His cultivation of the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm might be strong, but it was not that strong. He was able to do this because when he was in the Emperor Realm, he had been recognized by the Profound Abundant World’s Will, making him a Great Emperor.
His identity was similar to Yang Kai’s status in the Star Boundary.
Having received the acknowledgement of this World’s Will, Zhu Ge Xing Wei’s perception of the changes in the Profound Abundant World was naturally sharper than others.
After examining the situation for a while, a look of shock could not help but appear on his face.
The entire Profound Abundant World seemed to be undergoing some kind of refinement! The method of this refinement was extremely profound and left markings all across the Universe World. Zhu Ge Xing Wei had no idea what the purpose of this refinement was.
He didn’t dare to neglect this, but just as he was about to go out to investigate, a large hand pushed aside the clouds in the sky as a massive face appeared.
Zhu Ge Xing Wei glanced up and immediately bowed in respect, “Greetings, Senior!”
He recognized this person as the young man who had just saved them from certain death.
Yang Kai slightly nodded to him, but did not waste time explaining himself. He just gave an order, “All Open Heaven Realm Masters, come out!”
How could Zhu Ge Xing Wei dare to refuse? He quickly summoned the Open Heaven Realm Masters in his Sect and soared into the sky.
In the blink of an eye, all of the Open Heaven Realm Masters had disappeared from the Profound Abundant World. When they arrived in the void, Zhu Ge Xing Wei saw Yang Kai sitting cross-legged, his hand constantly forming seals.
Fraught with restlessness, he stepped forward and asked, “What instructions does Senior have?”
Yang Kai replied, “None, you’re just a hindrance inside!”
They were indeed a hindrance, especially since this was Yang Kai’s first time refining an entire Universe World into a World Bead. He wasn’t very familiar with the process and the Open Heaven Realm Masters of the Profound Abundant World were creating further disturbances in his refinement.
Now that they had all left Profound Abundant World, the process became much smoother.
A look of distress appeared on Zhu Ge Xing Wei’s face. He had no idea how he and the others were hindering Yang Kai, but he didn’t dare to ask any more questions. The group of over 200 Open Heaven Realm Masters could only silently stand on one side, watching Yang Kai.
Slowly, they discovered that the void in front of them was starting to distort and couldn’t help but be shocked. They knew that this senior expert was about to do something astonishing to their Profound Abundant World.
Zhu Ge Xing Wei was restless, his mind was filled with many questions, but he did not dare to ask, which only fueled his anxiety.
Yang Kai suddenly asked, “How many Universe Worlds does this Territory have?”
Zhu Ge Xing Wei quickly replied, “Reporting to Senior, counting the Profound Abundant World, there are a total of 14.”
Yang Kai nodded in response, “Pick 13 people and send them to these 13 Universe Worlds. Give each of them one of these and tell them to wait for my message.”
Saying so, he sent out 13 Space Beacons with a wave of his hand.
Yang Kai knew that time was of the essence as the Black Ink Clan had launched a large-scale invasion. If he could save even a little bit of time travelling, perhaps he could save more people.
He had these Open Heaven Realm Masters of Profound Abundant Sect take the Space Beacons and head to the Universe World to wait for him because once he was done here, he could just arrive at the next location in a flash using Instantaneous Movement.
Zhu Ge Xing Wei took the Space Beacons, picked 13 of his subordinates, and handed them one each before sending them on their way.
While Yang Kai was busy refining, the Profound Abundant World was shaking violently, sending countless living beings into a panic; after all, this was the first time he had attempted to refine an entire Universe World into a World Bead, so his process was a bit jerky. Even though he was being extremely cautious, his efforts still brought some natural disasters to the Profound Abundant World.
Tsunamis, earthquakes, mountains collapsing, continents drifting apart, and many more were happening all across the Profound Abundant World.
Fortunately, Yang Kai had remained vigilant all the while. Once he spotted something wrong, he would immediately act to salvage the situation. This way, he didn’t cause too much of a disturbance in the Profound Abundant World, nor did he cause any casualties.
Be that as it may, fear and panic inevitably made its way into everyone’s heart.
Gradually, the huge Profound Abundant World became more and more distorted. Zhu Ge Xing Wei and the others who were standing nearby all felt as if the Profound Abundant World had entered a different time and space. It was clearly right in front of them, but it gave everyone an extremely illusory feeling.
Soon, Yang Kai had reached the critical point.
At this moment, he faintly felt that he was only a step away from refining the Profound Abundant World into a World Bead and achieving the goal he had originally envisioned; however, upon reaching this point, he found that he was unable to continue. The entire Profound Abundant World was showing resistance, which was preventing him from completing the refinement.
Yang Kai pondered for a moment before faintly understanding the cause of this.
This resistance was none other than this World’s Will!
Every Universe World had its own Will. The Star Boundary had one, and so did the Profound Abundant World. This was also the fundamental reason for the differences between Universe World, along with their Grand Daos and Martial Daos.
The stronger the World’s Principles, the higher its corresponding Grand Daos and Martial Dao would be.
1,000 years ago, the Star Boundary’s Grand Dao could be said to be very weak, so it could only give birth to Great Emperors while no known Open Heaven Realm Masters had ever appeared.
But after receiving the blessings of the World Tree clone, the Star Boundary’s World Principles were no longer inferior to any Universe World in this vast 3,000 Worlds.
On the other hand, the Profound Abundant World was able to give birth to Profound Abundant Sect, which had some 200 Open Heaven Realm Masters. Its Grand Dao could be said to be extraordinary.
This Universe World’s Principles were extremely profound, which also affected how strong its Will was. Ordinary people would not be able to sense this kind of Will. Only those who were shockingly talented could resonate with the World’s Will, obtaining its acknowledgement and becoming Great Emperors, were even fully aware of it.
Now, when Yang Kai was refining the Profound Abundant World, the World’s Will instinctively resisted; after all, Yang Kai was an outsider, so how could the Profound Abundant World accept being refined by him?
Yang Kai could forcefully refine it, but if he did so, the World’s Will and Principles would inevitably be damaged. Yang Kai was unaware of what would be the consequences of such actions, but he was certain that it would not be good for the Profound Abundant World.
Perhaps, the cultivation of the cultivators in the Profound Abundant World would become more difficult, and the chances of giving birth to new Masters would also be lower.
This did not line up with his original intentions.
Frowning, Yang Kai’s Divine Sense surged as he transmitted the images of what he had seen on the Black Ink Battlefield, about what happened to the Universe Worlds occupied by the Black Ink Nest.
The World’s Will could not be considered fully sentient, but it was an extremely special existence nonetheless.
Yang Kai had no idea if this would have any effect, but if he wanted to smoothly refine the Profound Abundant World, he could only make the World’s Will cooperate with him and stop resisting his refinement.
As the saying went, the World Lives. Yang Kai was hoping for the World’s Will to understand his intent and cooperate.
Yang Kai’s original intention was to let Profound Abundant World’s Will understand what would happen if it was occupied by the Black Ink Clan. It was destined to become the same as the Universe Worlds on the Black Ink Battlefield, where the World Force would be devoured and turned into a dead Universe World.
Much to Yang Kai’s surprise, it actually worked.
After showing the scenes he had seen on the Black Ink Battlefield, the resistance of the Profound Abundant World’s Will became much weaker.
Yang Kai was overjoyed by this discovery. Striking while the iron was hot, he continued to transmit what he had seen to the World’s Will using his Divine Sense.
The World’s Will’s resistance became weaker until it was almost non-existent.
At this moment, a heavy sigh suddenly rang in Yang Kai’s mind, like the tolling of a loud bell. Yang Kai’s mind instantly went blank as he faintly felt as if he had become one with the Profound Abundant World, and there was no disjunction between the two.
Another inexplicable feeling surged in Yang Kai’s heart, before his consciousness crossed a vast distance and arrived at an unknown place in a flash.
There was nothing but endless darkness around him and for some reason, he could not lift a finger. He was even unable to sense his own existence.
Yang Kai was beside himself, not understanding how he had encountered such a strange phenomenon when he was only refining the Profound Abundant World.
He calmed himself down though and didn’t panic.
He couldn’t feel the passage of time at all. After an unknown amount of time, a tiny bit of light appeared in the endless darkness. When the Primal Chaos first parted, and Heaven and Earth were created, a fearsome power capable of destroying the entire universe erupted from this point. This kind of power was something even the Black Ink Giant Spiritual God, or even Mo itself, could not compare with.
This was the power of the entire universe.
Suddenly, the constraints binding the light instantly disappeared as everything expanded endlessly, transforming into one Great Territory after another. These Great Territories then gave birth to primitive Universe Worlds.
The Profound Abundant World was one of them!
After an unknown period, the Profound Abundant World gradually gathered the Five Elements, Yin and Yang, and was acknowledged by the Heavenly Way. It slowly perfected its World Principles, transforming into a true Universe World. Slowly but surely, the deathly still World started to gain vitality. This vitality rapidly spread, gradually transforming, filling it with life!
Yang Kai understood that this was the process of the Profound Abundant World’s formation. He seemed to be personally experiencing it after merging with its Will.
In fact, he had experienced this feeling once before, when he was acknowledged by the Star Boundary’s Will and became a Great Emperor.
However, the current experience was different from the last. This time, the feeling was clearer, and the history of this place was even more ancient!
Yang Kai suddenly realized something and made a bold guess.
It was just that he was temporarily unable to investigate these insights as his cultivation was too low and he did not have the time.
He had no way of verifying this conjecture either!
Yang Kai didn’t know how long he had experienced these events for, but to Zhu Ge Xing Wei and the others, it had only been half a day.
In just half a day, Yang Kai’s entire body became distorted and illusory like the Profound Abundant World, as if he didn’t exist.
Zhu Ge Xing Wei and the others also had no idea what had happened to Yang Kai. As there was a massive gap in their strength, and in the way they cultivated, they didn’t dare to disturb him.
Only after some time did Yang Kai’s figure suddenly materialize, allowing them to once again perceive his existence.
The Profound Abundant World, on the other hand, was still the same, the void around it distorting as if it was not in the same space as them.
Suddenly, Yang Kai broke into a long laughter and stood up, “Success!”
Saying so, he stretched out his hand and grabbed towards the Profound Abundant World.
What Zhu Ge Xing Wei and the others saw next was quite difficult for them to accept. Yang Kai’s hand pierced through the Void, seemingly passing through the surface of water, gently scooping something out of it.
When Yang Kai withdrew his hand, the warped space suddenly collapsed and the Profound Abundant World disappeared!
Zhu Ge Xing Wei was beside himself in shock and could not help but cry out, “Where is the Profound Abundant World?”
The 200 or so Open Heaven Realm Masters were also alarmed and bewildered. The Profound Abundant World that had raised them had actually disappeared right before their eyes.
How could they accept this? They still had friends and families in the Profound Abundant World!
“Don’t panic!” Yang Kai smiled and stretched out his hand towards everyone, “Take a look at this.”
Zhu Ge Xing Wei and the others shot a glance over and saw a round bead in Yang Kai’s palm. The surface of this bead was gray, but deep blue inside, as if a sapphire was embedded inside it.
The sapphire embedded inside was extremely familiar, whether it was its shape or colour distribution. It was the same as the Profound Abundant World, the only difference was its size.
After all, the Profound Abundant World was a Universe World, extremely vast, whereas the object in Yang Kai’s hand was only the size of a large marble.
Zhu Ge Xing Wei focused his gaze, trying to see through the fog on its surface. Immediately, he saw the true appearance of the sapphire embedded in the bead.
It was the Profound Abundant World!
He even saw Profound Abundant Sect, its tens of thousands of disciples inside as tiny as dust particles, completely crowding the main square. Many of them were looking around with blank expressions on their faces.
He even saw his Cave Mansion, and also his Wife and concubines, who were hurriedly packing up and preparing to escape after receiving his orders.
He then shifted his gaze and saw the scene of peddlers shouting and hawking in a city close to the Profound Abundant Sect while people went about their daily lives…
Zhu Ge Xing Wei was completely astounded and couldn’t believe his eyes.
[The Profound Abundant World has been refined into a bead?]
[How can anyone do this? Is it even possible!?]
If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he never would have believed this feat even in his dreams.
Soon, his face beamed with excitement. Previously, the Elders of Profound Abundant Sect were arguing about who to bring away and who to abandon, but now that the entire Profound Abundant World had been refined into a bead, there was nothing to worry about!
Not to mention, the tens of thousands of Profound Abundant Sect disciples, even the billions of lives on the Profound Abundant World could be brought with them!
It was only now that he understood Yang Kai’s painstaking efforts and what he had been refining.
[This Senior’s means are truly astonishing!]
Many people who saw the true appearance of the bead like Zhu Ge Xing Wei were beside themselves in shock.
Zhu Ge Xing Wei calmed himself down. He wanted to thank Yang Kai, but just as he was about to, Yang Kai casually tossed the World Bead to him.
A chill shot up through Zhu Ge Xing Wei’s spine.
Even if he was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he was still thrown into a fluster as he tried to catch the bead.
Holding the World Bead refined from the Profound Abundant World in his hands, Zhu Ge Xing Wei’s smile was even uglier than when he was crying. He looked at Yang Kai, stuttering, “Senior, this… this…”
[What do I do now?]
Although it was good news that the entire Profound Abundant World had been refined into a World Bead, how could he keep it? He was afraid that if he made any slight movements, he would cause the entire Profound Abundant World to collapse.
Yang Kai, on the other hand, waved his hand in a totally unconcerned manner and stated, “There’s no need to be so cautious. I’ve also refined the Void around your Profound Abundant World to insulate it. As long as you keep it close to you and prevent it from coming into contact with any powerful shocks, like the attacks of an Open Heaven Realm Master, the Profound Abundant World won’t be in any danger.”
Zhu Ge Xing Wei suddenly understood why the outer layer of the bead was grey, it was actually a buffer space surrounding the Profound Abundant World.
This revelation finally put Zhu Ge Xing Wei at ease. Following Yang Kai’s instructions, he put the World Bead in his pocket close to his chest, and also patted it to check. Even then, he was still not completely at ease, but it would have to do for now.
Then, he earnestly bowed to Yang Kai, “Senior’s great kindness is something that the entire Profound Abundant World will never forget.”
Yang Kai lightly nodded his acknowledgement before stretching his hand out, poking into the Void. The next moment, a portal appeared in front of him, one that led to Swallowing Seas Sect with the help of the Space Beacon he had given to Wang Xuan Yi, “Go in and join up with Swallowing Seas Sect.”
Zhu Ge Xing Wei thanked him once more before leading his 200 or so disciples through the portal. The next moment, they arrived at Swallowing Seas Sect, where they saw Wang Xuan Yi, Yang Qing, and the others. After chatting, when everyone came to learn about Yang Kai’s feat of refining the Profound Abundant World, they were thoroughly shocked.
Even someone like Wang Xuan Yi, who was someone from the Cave Heavens and Paradises, had never heard of people refining a World into a bead.
Thus, he was in great shock, but more than that, he was overjoyed.
Originally, the evacuation and relocation could only ensure the safety of the top cultivators from various Sects and great forces. They were completely powerless to help the myriad living beings in all the defenceless Universe Worlds. Now, thanks to Yang Kai, everyone in the entire Swallowing Seas Territory could evacuate.
Not just Swallowing Seas Territory, as long as there was enough time, the same feat could be repeated in many other Great Territories.
Wang Xuan Yi couldn’t help but recall the question Yang Kai had asked him before, ‘What about the mortals?’
His answer at the time was that they were powerless to do anything.
Even so, Yang Kai had come up with a solution in just a few days, causing an enormous sense of admiration to well up in his heart.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai had already arrived at another Universe World’s location via a different Space Beacon. Previously, he had asked Zhu Ge Xing Wei to gather 13 disciples and send them to the 13 other Universe Worlds in this Territory carrying a Space Beacon each, which saved him the time he would have spent on travelling.
This Universe World was the closest to the Profound Abundant World, and it also had a Sect overseeing it with strength similar to Profound Abundant Sect’s. They also had a good relationship with Profound Abundant Sect.
Previously, when Profound Abundant Sect’s Open Heaven Realm Masters were fighting with the Black Ink Clan, Zhu Ge Xing Wei had sent two Elders out to seek help. One of them was Elder Pang, who had gone to the Swallowing Seas Sect. When he saw that Swallowing Seas Sect was besieged by the Black Ink Clan Army from a distance, how could he go and ask for their help? He had no choice but to return empty-handed. The other Elder had come to this Universe World, but they had lost contact with him after that.
After everything Profound Abundant Sect had gone through, Zhu Ge Xing Wei lost his cool and forgot to mention this to Yang Kai.
On the other hand, Profound Abundant Sect’s Elder, who was responsible for bringing the Space Beacon to this World, was quite prudent. He did not rashly approach and instead hid some distance away, concealing his aura and waiting for Yang Kai.
A few days later, Yang Kai appeared beside him, nearly frightening the life out of him.
When this Elder saw that it was Yang Kai though, he finally relaxed and quickly reported everything that had transpired.
A deep furrow appeared on Yang Kai’s brow after hearing the report. He immediately focused his gaze towards the Universe World, and as expected, he saw some Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples moving about.
The Sect governing this Universe World had been completely defeated by the Black Ink Clan, and almost all the surviving cultivators had been converted into Black Ink Disciples.
Fortunately, these Black Ink Clansmen were not that strong and were not many in number, just a squad about the same size as the one that had gone to attack the Profound Abundant World. The leader of this Black Ink Clan squad was only a High-Rank Clansman, that was all, not even qualified to own their own Black Ink Nest.
If a Feudal Lord was here, and if he had planted his Black Ink Nest, the entire Universe World would be flooded with Black Ink Strength, at which point it would be impossible to reverse the situation.
Although the current situation was not something to rejoice, it was still salvageable. For Yang Kai, it was as easy as snapping his fingers.
The Profound Abundant Sect Elder standing next to Yang Kai only saw the latter stretch his hand out and grasp towards the Universe World. And when he pulled his hand back, the Profound Abundant Sect Elder saw several dozen strange-looking Black Ink Clansmen appear in front of them.
These Black Ink Clansmen had no idea what just happened. They were suddenly captured and brought out into the void, so they were completely confused.
Immediately after, a fearsome force swept through them from all directions, wiping out these several dozen Black Ink Clansmen in the blink of an eye.
Yang Kai then brought his hands together as a beam of Purifying Light shot down towards the Sect below, enveloping all the Black Ink Disciples and dispelling the Black Ink Strength in their bodies.
After having taken care of the Black Ink Clansmen and Black Ink Disciples, Yang Kai waited for the cultivators in the Sect below to recover before sending a Divine Sense transmission.
A moment later, a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, leading a group of Open Heaven Realm Masters, rushed over to greet him.
Yang Kai didn’t waste time chatting with them and directly opened a portal to Swallowing Seas Sect’s Space Beacon, ordering them to head over and meet up with the others.
Seeing that Yang Kai was an Eighth-Order Ancestor rank figure, the Fifth-Order Master didn’t dare to object and simply led his subordinates into the portal.
After the Profound Abundant Sect Elder responsible for bringing the Space Beacon here had also left, Yang Kai began refining the Universe World.
Having done it once before, this second attempt was naturally smoother and he did not even feel resistance from the World’s Will.
This second Universe World gave Yang Kai the feeling that it was actively cooperating.
This only further confirmed his suspicions.
Just like that, Yang Kai travelled from one Universe World to the next. After arriving at each Universe World, he would open a Void Corridor to the Swallowing Seas Sect and order the Open Heaven Realm Masters of the respective Universe Worlds to go on ahead. Without the complication of Open Heaven Realm Masters, Yang Kai was then able to smoothly refine the World Bead.
Not every Universe World had Open Heaven Realm Masters.
Every single Universe World in Swallowing Seas Territory had Humans living on them, but the level of their Martial Daos differed quite significantly. The higher the level, the easier it was to cultivate and give birth to Open Heaven Realm Masters. The strongest cultivators in some of the Universe Worlds were just Emperor Realm Masters though, with no Open Heaven Realm Masters overseeing them. In other words, refining them was even easier.
After more than a month, Yang Kai had finished refining all 14 Universe Worlds in Swallowing Seas Territory. Aside from the original Profound Abundant World, which had been handed over to Zhu Ge Xing Wei, Yang Kai had kept the remaining 13 with him.
With this matter settled, Yang Kai’s next stop was the Swallowing Seas Sect.
At this point, Swallowing Seas Sect and the other cultivators who had rushed to this place, under the leadership of Wang Xuan Yi and his Squad, were prepared to move out at a moment’s notice.
When they noticed Yang Kai’s arrival, Wang Xuan Yi hurried over to salute him.
After exchanging some pleasantries, Yang Kai came to learn that everyone was ready to leave, so he immediately stated, “There’s no time to delay, we need to set out right away.”
To evacuate, the Swallowing Seas Sect would first head to Mo Sha Territory’s Universe Temple, where they would rendezvous with cultivators from the neighbouring Great Territories, and then, they would head to the Star Boundary under the protection of Mo Sha Cave Heaven’s Masters.
Although it would be quite a lengthy journey, with Mo Sha Cave Heaven and Mo Sha Army’s Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters’ protecting them, it would still be much safer than the cultivators of each Great Territory heading out alone.
The evacuation plans of every Cave Heaven and Paradise were basically the same.
For example, the dozen-plus Great Territories under Pure Yang Cave Heaven’s jurisdiction all needed to arrive at the Pure Yang Territory’s Universe Temple within a set period of time, where they would coordinate with the Pure Yang Army’s Masters. Furthermore, Pure Yang Army Squads like Wang Xuan Yi’s Squad had gone to various Great Territories to assist the local Sects and forces in their evacuation.
This was a great migration that involved the entire 3,000 Worlds with no Sect being able to avoid it.
Just as Wang Xuan Yi had said before, even colossal forces like the Cave Heavens and Paradises would have to abandon their Sect’s ancestral foundation, which had been passed down through countless millennia.
As long as they were alive, they would be able to take back their foundations sooner or later, but if all of them died, then nothing would be left.
Already, not much time was left before the deadline. If Swallowing Seas Territory’s group couldn’t arrive in time, Mo Sha Army’s Masters wouldn’t wait for them.
This was something that had already been agreed upon.
So no matter what, they had to arrive at Mo Sha Territory’s Universe Temple before the deadline.
“Is Division Commander Yang not coming with us?” Wang Xuan Yi asked.
Yang Kai shook his head, “I must head to the other Great Territories.”
Wang Xuan Yi immediately understood that Yang Kai wanted to refine more Universe Worlds and save more people!
Wang Xuan Yi was filled with deep veneration and cupped his fist, “Division Commander Yang, please take care. Although all the Royal Lords have been wiped out and the two Black Ink Giant Spiritual Gods are restrained, the number of Territory Lords is still quite high. The current Territory Lords are all Innate Territory Lords, who are as strong as our strongest Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.”
He thought that since Yang Kai had just broken through to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm, he should not be that strong, thus his warning.
How could he have known that Territory Lords were no longer Yang Kai’s opponent. Not to mention Territory Lords, Yang Kai had even killed a Royal Lord!
If he knew, he would probably be overwhelmed in shock.
Yang Kai nodded his acknowledgement, “You must also be careful as you may encounter the Black Ink Clan along the way…”
Saying so, Yang Kai was suddenly struck with an idea.
As he wanted to go to another Great Territory to refine more Universe Worlds, he couldn’t afford to escort the evacuees from Swallowing Seas Territory.
He might not be able to personally guard them, but he had a great army of tens of millions of Small Stone Race members!
These creatures might have low intelligence, but they were more than capable of dealing with some Black Ink Clansmen. The Small Stone Race hated Black Ink Strength above all else, so if the Black Ink Clan appeared in front of them, they would immediately attack.
Swallowing Seas Territory’s survivors would naturally be much safer if they were escorted by a Small Stone Race Army.
Unfortunately, the Small Stone Race was difficult to control due to their low sentience. If Yang Kai could solve this problem, the Small Stone Race would be of great help to the Human Race’s evacuation.
Considering all this, Yang Kai quickly came up with a plan. Afterwards, he looked left and right before suddenly shouting, “Everyone, prepare to depart!”
Wang Xuan Yi had no idea what Yang Kai had in mind, but since everything was set, and they could set out at any moment, he immediately ordered everyone to leave.
The Open Heaven Realm Masters of all the Sects in the entire Swallowing Seas Territory were gathered here. There were not that many of them, just over 1,000 or so, and their Orders ranged widely.
Swallowing Seas Sect had 3,000 members, but naturally not all of them were in the Open Heaven realm.
Flight-type artifacts were summoned, and in an instant, more than a hundred ships and palaces of different shapes and sizes appeared in the void.
Standing on the deck of the largest ship was Wang Xuan Yi, who was gazing down at Yang Kai. Yang Qing was also standing next to him, following suit. Both of them wanted to see what Yang Kai was planning on doing.
The next thing they saw left the two completely astounded. Swallowing Seas Sect which should have been very close to them was looking like a mirage now, distorted and indistinct. Clearly, it was very close, yet it seemed so far away that it was impossible to grasp.
Yang Qing suddenly came to the realization, “Division Commander Yang wants to refine my Swallowing Seas Sect’s Spirit Province into a World Bead!”
Although he had never seen Yang Kai refine a World Bead, he had heard Zhu Ge Xing Wei describe the process, so how could he not understand Yang Kai’s intentions?
His heart was filled with joy. From the start, he had been reluctant to abandon Swallowing Seas Sect’s heritage that had been passed down for generations, but he was helpless regarding this matter. Now, when Yang Kai wanted to refine it into the World Bead, all his worries were easily resolved.
Hearing this, Wang Xuan Yi only nodded in agreement, also thinking that Yang Kai was refining Swallowing Seas Sect’s Spirit Province into a World Bead. Nonetheless, he failed to understand why Yang Kai was doing this.
The Swallowing Seas Sect disciples were already set to evacuate, leaving just an empty Spirit Province behind. The Black Ink Clan would probably not be interested in it, so there was no need to bring it along.
“Ah!” Yang Qing suddenly cried out as piercing pain filled his heart.
And why would it not? The glorious Spirit Province in front of him suddenly collapsed into at least 100 fragments.
Each and every one of them was almost the same size. Obviously, Yang Kai had done this on purpose, demonstrating extreme power and control.
Yang Qing wanted to cry, but had no tears to shed.
If they could not bring this Spirit Province with them, then so be it, Swallowing Sea Sect still had a chance to return and rebuild their Sect after defeating the Black Ink Clan. But all his hopes had been shattered to pieces, just like this Spirit Province.
His initial joy quickly disappeared as he couldn’t understand why Yang Kai was doing this.
Nevertheless, he didn’t dare to ask any questions. He just consoled himself that Yang Kai’s actions must have a deeper meaning.
Soon, Yang Kai reached out and grabbed towards the distorted Void. Every time he did so, an asteroid would disappear, and soon all of them were collected.
After silently working at something for a while, Yang Kai appeared on the deck where Wang Xuan Yi was using Instantaneous Movement. He then handed him over 100 newly refined World Beads before instructing, “Each of these World Beads contains 10,000 Small Stone Race soldiers. If you run into a Black Ink Clan Army, use them to defend yourselves.”
Wang Xuan Yi’s eyes lit up when he heard this, “Are these Small Stone Race soldiers the ones who were attacking the Black Ink Clan before?”
Previously, he had also witnessed the two Small Stone Race Armies brutally attacking the Black Ink Clan outside Swallowing Seas Sect. Although these strange creatures seemed simple, even somewhat stupid, they were perfect for dealing with the Black Ink Clan as they seemed to be able to ignore the corrosion of the Black Ink Strength.
So, when Yang Kai mentioned this, Wang Xuan Yi immediately understood.
Yang Kai nodded his agreement.
He himself couldn’t escort these people all the way to Mo Sha Territory, but it was no problem for him to pack up a Small Stone Race Army and send them with these people. Even if Wang Xuan Yi and the others couldn’t control the Small Stone Race, all they needed to do was toss them out when they encountered the Black Ink Clan, and the Small Stone Race members would immediately attack.
The reason why Yang Kai had divided the million-strong army into 100 smaller groups was because he had also considered how difficult it would be to retrieve the Small Stone Race after a battle. As Wang Xuan Yi and the others didn’t have the Great Sun and Great Moon Marks, the Small Stone Race would not obey their orders, and if they really released them, there was a high chance they would simply… run off.
A million Small Stone Race soldiers was enough to protect them from any kind of threat. Also, they would be of great help even to the other cultivators in Mo Sha Territory.
With a million Small Stone Race soldiers escorting them, their journey to the Star Boundary would be much safer.
“Many thanks, Division Commander Yang!” Wang Xuan Yi bowed in gratitude, amazed by Yang Kai’s generosity.
He had never seen or heard of the Small Stone Race before, but now Yang Kai had gifted him a million of them in one go. That was truly generous.
Their Warship had already been destroyed, which had greatly affected their Squad’s combat and defensive strength, but a million-strong Small Stone Race Army was more than enough to make up for that.
Yang Kai added, “I only recently obtained these Small Stone Race soldiers, so I haven’t been able to figure out how to control them effectively. Their characteristics are that their intelligence is extremely low, and they rely mostly on their instincts to act. If any of you is proficient in Beast Taming Techniques, I suggest you experiment and try to find a way to control them.”
It was not probably impossible to control the Small Stone Race using Beast Taming Techniques, but as Yang Kai wasn’t versed in any good Beast Taming Techniques, he couldn’t run these tests himself.
Wang Xuan Yi’s eyes lit up after hearing this and repeatedly nodded, “Understood.”
Many cultivators more or less knew a Beast Taming Technique, though the quality and profundity varied wildly. If they could find a feasible method, it would give them far better control over the Small Stone Race in battle.
“Go,” Yang Kai waved off.
Wang Xuan Yi cupped his fist and bid his goodbye, “Take care, Division Commander Yang!”
Having said his farewell, he gave a shout as the fleet of 100 or so flight-type artifacts filled with cultivators led by Swallowing Seas Sect’s largest ship flew towards the Territory Gate, rushing towards Mo Sha Territory.
On the lead ship, Wang Xuan Yi looked back, but Yang Kai was nowhere to be seen.
Calming himself down, he gathered a group of Sect Masters and Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters from the various Sects and gave each of them a World Bead with an army of 10,000 Small Stone Race members. Then, following Yang Kai’s instruction, he asked them to look for cultivators who were proficient in Beast Taming to begin searching for an effective method to control the Small Stone Race soldiers.
All of them were overjoyed after obtaining the army of 10,000 Small Stone Race members.
Wang Xuan Yi then deployed them to various ships to guard the fleet. Like this, all the cultivators in Swallowing Seas Territory began to evacuate.
At the same time, fleets from every Great Territory were rushing towards the Great Territories where the various Cave Heavens and Paradises were located.
Some of the evacuation went completely smoothly; after all, the Black Ink Clan would need some time to invade all the Great Territories of the 3,000 Worlds, so if the cultivators could gather before the Black Ink Clan reached their lands and immediately rush to the designated Universe Temple, they would encounter no dangers.
Other Great Territories were less fortunate though and were invaded by the Black Ink Clan Army before they could evacuate. Many Sects were occupied by the Black Ink Clan and their cultivators all transformed into Black Ink Disciples.
There were other instances where Black Ink Clan Armies pursued fleeing evacuation fleets, leading to battles of different scales breaking out across the 3,000 World, throwing everything into chaos!
After parting from Wang Xuan Yi’s group, Yang Kai immediately rushed to the adjacent Great Territory. This Great Territory was still under the jurisdiction of Mo Sha Cave Heaven, and the situation here was similar to Swallowing Seas Territory. The Black Ink Clan had already invaded, but the cultivators of the various Sects were still desperately resisting.
Just like Wang Xuan Yi’s Squad, there was also a Human Race Squad in this Great Territory, responsible for coordinating the evacuation. When Yang Kai arrived, he easily eliminated all of the Black Ink Clan invaders and then sent away the fleet. He also gave them 100 or so World Beads containing Small Stone Race troops.
After that, he began refining the Universe Worlds where the Human Race lived.
He knew that he couldn’t save everyone as the Black Ink Can’s invasion was happening everywhere. He could save the Humans of a few Great Territories, but there were more than 1,000 Great Territories in the 3,000 Worlds, so how could he possibly save them all by himself?
All he could do was try his best.
At first, the situation in the Great Territories Yang Kai arrived at were still manageable. For example, in the Swallowing Seas Territory, he had refined a total of 14 Universe Worlds into World Beads, saving almost all the Humans living there.
But as time passed, the situation of the Great Territories deteriorated rapidly.
After the order was issued, all the cultivators of various Great Territories were forced to evacuate, leaving behind only weaker cultivators and mortals who were unable to break free from their Universe World’s shackles. These people were completely powerless to resist the Black Ink Clan’s invasion.
The further Yang Kai walked, the more heartbroken he became.
Some of the Universe Worlds already had Black Ink Nests planted on them, absorbing the World Force of the entire World. Rich Black Ink Strength enveloped such Universe Worlds, corrupting all the living beings inside.
Yang Kai could do nothing in the face of such situations.
With his Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation, he could completely destroy these Universe Worlds if he wanted to, but if he did so, the billions of innocent lives living on them would also be lost along with the Black Ink Clan soldiers.
These people might have been reduced to Black Ink Disciples, but there was still hope for them to be rescued in the future. How could Yang Kai bring himself to ruthlessly slaughter them?
The only option he was left with was to destroy the Black Ink Nest, and all of the Black Ink Clansmen around!
There was nothing else he could do.
At this point, he also got to experience the helplessness Wang Xuan Yi felt when he answered his question.
The Universe Worlds which had been completely devoured by Black Ink Strength now were filled with billions of Black Ink Disciples. Even if he didn’t lack Yellow and Blue Crystals, he couldn’t purify them all. It would drain a lot of Yellow and Blue Crystals, and was too time-consuming, while time was what he was most short of.
The faster he moved, the more people he would be able to save!
Along the way, Yang Kai not only witnessed scenes of disaster and despair though, he also had encountered many heroic deeds.
Many Sects and cultivators weren’t strong, but they had the courage and determination to fight to the death with the Black Ink Clan, refusing to withdraw with the other cultivators of their Great Territory and instead choosing to remain with the Universe Worlds that had raised them, using their lives and blood to protect them for as long as they could!
Cultivators of many such Sects faced total annihilation in the battle, leaving not one survivor behind. Such resistance deeply angered the Black Ink Clan, so what awaited them was death.
Yang Kai’s mood became even gloomier when he saw such scenes!
The order to retreat was not given because they were timid or cowardly, but because it was the best course of action in this situation; after all, only by surviving could they turn the situation around. Their decision to stay and fight to the death may have been praiseworthy, but from a strategic standpoint, it was utterly meaningless.
Who was right and who was wrong, nobody could say for sure. It was just a matter of one’s choice, and everyone had to face the consequences of their actions. Just like Yang Kai, who had chosen to roam various Great Territories and refine Universe Worlds into World Beads to save more lives, causing him to bear witness to far too many tragedies.
20 years went by in a flash.
Over the past 20 years, Yang Kai travelled to hundreds of Great Territories and accumulated over 2,000 World Beads. Each World Bead was a complete Universe World with its Seven Elements, Will, and World Principles intact.
The number of Humans he had saved was difficult to calculate.
But this was already the limit.
There were still many Great Territories Yang Kai had yet to set foot in, but now that 20 years had passed since the Black Ink Clan’s full-scale invasion began, it was difficult for him to find any Universe World that had not been devoured by Black Ink Strength.
The Black Ink Clan could be found in every Great Territory, and almost every Universe World that had a living being on it had a Black Ink Nest planted on it.
Countless mortals and cultivators with low cultivations had been reduced to Black Ink Disciples, and the World Force each Universe World had accumulated over countless aeons had been reduced to nourishment for the Black Ink Clan.
Of the tens of millions of Small Stone Race soldiers he started with, Yang Kai was now left with less than 10 million, the rest were all given away to others.
Over the past 20 years, the number of Black Ink Clansmen who had lost their lives at Yang Kai’s hands was also incalculable, with just the number of Territory Lords who had died at the end of his spear reaching over a dozen.
Now, with only one Royal Lord left alive, and the two Black Ink Giant Spiritual Gods being occupied, the Territory Lords were the top Masters of the Black Ink Clan. Be that as it may, if any of these Innate Territory Lords ran into Yang Kai alone, they would only be courting death. Even if there were two or three of them, Yang Kai was confident he could eliminate them after paying a price.
In these 20 years, those who should have evacuated had already evacuated, and those who couldn’t leave could only stay and bear the fate of being turned into Black Ink Disciples.
Yang Kai estimated that the cultivators who had evacuated from the various Great Territories should have all reached the Star Boundary by now.
He knew in his heart that this mission to save the remaining Humans of the 3,000 Worlds had come to an end. Even if he continued, it would just be a fruitless endeavour.
Looking at the dim stars in the void and the Universe Worlds enveloped in Black Ink Strength, a heavy sigh escaped Yang Kai’s lips as he shouted, “Old Tree, do you still want to hide? I think it’s time we meet!”
As soon as he finished speaking, a mysterious change started to occur in this Great Territory. Immediately after, a rolling fog appeared in the distance and swept towards Yang Kai.
Seeing this fog, Yang Kai knew that his guess was correct!
20 years ago, when he refined the Profound Abundant World, he had a vague guess in his heart. But at that time, he hadn’t refined enough Universe Worlds, so whether this conjecture was just his imagination or if it was true, he still had to verify it.
Over the past 20 years, he had refined more than 2,000 Universe Worlds, which was more than enough to confirm his previous speculations.
Because every time he refined a Universe World, he would sense an invisible connection with that unknown place.
After refining more than 2,000 Universe Worlds, this connection had become pretty strong; so, even if the other party didn’t respond, Yang Kai still had a way to force his way into this unknown place.
The rolling fog soon arrived before him and Yang Kai allowed it to envelop him, concealing his figure.
When the fog dissipated, Yang Kai’s figure was nowhere to be found.
When he reappeared, Yang Kai was already in a mysterious place that was difficult for ordinary people to reach. There happened to be some kind of suppression in this mysterious place, preventing anyone from completely displaying the might of the Open Heaven Realm, no matter what one’s Order was.
The Great Ancient Ruins Boundary!
When Yang Kai was just an Emperor Realm Master, he had been swept up by a mysterious fog and thrown into this Sealed World. It was in this Sealed World he got his hands on a World Tree clone, which he used to save the Star Boundary that was on the verge of shattering.
It was also from here that he brought out the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider, Zhu Jiu Yin.
According to Cang, the World Tree was one of the most ancient existences in the Universe. In the past, the 10 Martial Ancestors had relied on the World Tree to comprehend the mysteries of the Open Heaven Realm, which they later passed down to the wider Human Race, allowing it to gain a foothold in the Universe where the Monster Race ran rampant.
The people who obtained the favour of the World Tree were also a means of protection for the mysterious Heavenly Way. Cang’s group of 10 were chosen by the Heavenly Way, and they had sealed Mo in the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction for millions of years. If not for their actions, how could the current 3,000 Worlds still exist? Perhaps the entire Universe would have become the Black Ink Clan’s paradise eons ago.
After Cang’s group, there were likely more candidates. The World Tree clone in Yang Kai’s Small Universe also belonged to a previous candidate who had fallen ages ago.
As for Yang Kai himself, he should have been chosen recently.
This method of self-preservation was seemingly performed through the World Tree, so no matter what, the World Tree was an indispensable and important link.
Mo had said that the Old Tree had always been hiding from it, afraid of it.
In the past, Yang Kai didn’t know what Mo meant by this. Both of them were among the most ancient of existences, so although Mo’s strength was hard to imagine, how could it be that the World Tree was weak? Why would it hide?
Now, Yang Kai finally understood.
Because the World Tree was a direct manifestation of the entire 3,000 Worlds. The relationship between the World Tree and the 3,000 Worlds was one of mutual destruction and prosperity.
Mo’s existence had severely threatened the survival of the 3,000 Worlds. If Mo really ruled over 3,000 Worlds, then Black Ink Strength would be everywhere, and every Universe World would die. At that time, the World Tree would also be completely destroyed.
Inside the Great Ancient Ruins Boundary, Yang Kai, who was swept up by the rolling fog, looked up and saw a towering tree in front of him.
Compared to the World Tree Yang Kai had seen in the past, this one was far larger and more majestic.
The tree was absolutely filled with World Fruits.
But different from the past, the current World Tree seemed to be seriously ill, looking very weak and sickly.
Many of the World Fruits hanging on the World Tree were gray, as if they had rotted. Yang Kai could even feel Black Ink Strength coming from these fruits!
He had actually witnessed this scene before.
When he used his Sun and Moon Divine Wheel just outside the Great Sea Celestial Phenomenon, Space and Time became chaotic, allowing Yang Kai to glimpse into the future.
One of the scenes was of him holding the head of the Royal Lord.
And the other scene was of a large, sickly tree filled with rotting fruits!
Yang Kai stared blankly for a long time before a sigh escaped his lips, “Old Tree, you’re quite pitiful!”
The World Tree’s body swayed slightly as its huge leaves rustled, looking like it was protesting Yang Kai’s ridicule.
Yang Kai quickly stated, “Don’t get agitated, each of these fruits corresponds to a Universe World. If you shake them off, it won’t be a good thing.”
When he first came here, Yang Kai’s strength, vision, and insight were all too shallow, so he only knew that the World Fruits could help a person break through to the next Order of the Open Heaven Realm. He was totally oblivious to the true mysteries of these World Fruits.
Now, after reaching the Eighth Order, having refined more than 2,000 Universe Worlds scattered across hundreds of Great Territories, and coming into contact with ancient Supreme Masters like Mo and Cang, how could Yang Kai not see the profundities of these fruits?
As he had just said, each of these World Fruits corresponded to a Universe World in some Great Territory, and was the Source of those very Universe Worlds.
It could be said that the World Tree was connected to all the Universe Worlds in the 3,000 Worlds. It was precisely the convergence of these Universe Worlds that had given birth to the World Tree.
Now that these Universe Worlds had been devoured by Black Ink Strength and occupied by the Black Ink Clan, it had affected the World Tree, making it and those World Fruits appear sick.
If a certain Universe World was completely destroyed, the corresponding World Fruit would also cease to exist.
Vice versa, if a new Universe World was born, the World Tree would bear a new fruit.
Yang Kai finally understood why the World Fruits had such potent effects.
This was because these World Fruits contained the mysteries and essences of an entire Universe World.
A Low-Rank World Fruit corresponded to a world with a low level of Martial Dao, a Mid-Rank World Fruit corresponded to a world with a mid-grade Martial Dao, and a High-Rank World Fruit corresponded to a high-grade Universe World, the best possible. Such Universe Worlds might be where the various Cave Heavens and Paradises resided.
If someone were to pick a World Fruit and swallow it, what they were actually eating was not the fruit itself, but the essence of the Universe World.
So naturally, this would rapidly increase their strength and even increase their Order.
But as a result of this, the Martial Dao of the corresponding Universe World and even the perfection of its World Principles would be greatly affected, taking thousands, if not tens of thousands of years to recover.
A Universe World with sufficient Martial Dao would have its own Principles and Will.
These Wills could be said to have come from the Universe World itself, but they could also be considered the wisps of the World Tree’s consciousness.
The Great Emperors of every Universe World had obtained the acknowledgement of their respective World’s Wills, but at its root, it was really the World Tree who had acknowledged them.
As such, every time Yang Kai refined a Universe World, he would gain the approval of the World Tree, allowing him to sense the latter’s existence.
Yang Kai had not understood these mysteries previously, but now he got the complete picture.
If 3,000 worlds were completely occupied by the Black Ink Clan, the World Tree would definitely perish!
Currently, only about 20% of the fruits on the tree remained intact, with most of them corresponding to the World Beads Yang Kai had refined.
After pondering for a moment, Yang Kai waved his hand as over 100 World Beads refined from Universe Worlds flew out. Each of the World Beads looked like a glorious pearl; a magnificent sight indeed.
As soon as these World Beads appeared, each of them resonated with a World Fruit and disappeared into them.
The World Bead had not really disappeared, but had instead become one with the fruit. It did not affect the living beings inside the World Beads either, and when peace had returned to the 3,000 Worlds once more, when the Black Ink Clan was eliminated, the World Tree would be able to send these World Beads back to the corresponding Great Territory, so that they could regain their former prosperity.
Yang Kai was just giving it a try; after all, it was quite troublesome and risky to carry so many World Beads on him. The World Beads might look small, but as each World was formed from a Universe World, they were actually quite massive in size. It was impossible for him to store them into his Small Universe or Space Ring, so Yang Kai could only sew together a huge backpack to carry them that way.
All these years, Yang Kai had been carrying a bag filled with World Beads on his back, which was extremely inconvenient
Now that he had discovered that these World Fruits could accommodate the corresponding Universe World, it naturally saved him a lot of trouble.
After some time, Yang Kai had finally tossed all 2,000 or so World Beads to the World Tree for safekeeping.
What surprised Yang Kai was that after obtaining these 2,000 or so World Beads, the World Tree’s condition seemed to have improved a little, but he was not sure, it might have just been his imagination.
On top of that, Yang Kai was also concerned about the still intact World Fruits on the World Tree.
The World Fruits corresponding to the Universe Worlds he had refined were intact because they were saved and not corroded by Black Ink Strength, but in addition to those World Fruits, there were several dozen more that were still completely healthy.
These fruits were not showing any features similar to the other ruined fruits, neither were they emanating any Black Ink Strength. Yang Kai even had a special connection with one of these fruits, feeling very close to it.
This feeling greatly surprised him. It was just a World Fruit, so how could he feel close to it?
After examining it for a moment though, Yang Kai raised his brow and asked, “Is this the World Fruit of the Star Boundary?”
He was a Great Emperor recognized by the Star Boundary’s Will, so the World Fruit corresponding to the Star Boundary naturally gave him a different feeling from the rest.
This World Fruit was a Mid-Rank World Fruit. In other words, if one ate it, it could allow a cultivator in the Third-Order to the Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm to advance an Order, and allow them to have better future prospects by increasing their innate limit.
But correspondingly, the Star Boundary would have to pay a huge price. Perhaps its Martial Dao level would be greatly affected and its World Principles would be damaged.
Yang Kai’s heart clenched as he recalled the Low-Rank World Fruits and Mid-Rank World Fruits he had obtained.
Back then, he had obtained more than a dozen or so fruits from the Old Tree, causing harm to some Universe Worlds.
As if the World Tree sensed his thoughts, it swayed again. Although the World Tree did not speak or transmit anything via Divine Sense, Yang Kai could clearly tell what it wanted to say.
The corresponding Universe Worlds of the World Fruits he had taken back then didn’t have any highly sentient lifeforms on them, so his actions didn’t cause much harm overall. At most, it would have delayed the development and evolution of those Universe Worlds by a few thousand years.
Knowing this, Yang Kai felt less guilty.
But very soon, he had another feeling. By using this World Fruit corresponding to the Star Boundary as a beacon, he might be able to create a passage to the Star Boundary and return to it!
Yang Kai’s heart skipped a beat as he hurriedly checked the other World Fruits that were still intact. After checking them with his Divine Sense, he discovered that his guess was right on mark; he could indeed open a Void Corridor with the help of these World Fruits and arrive directly at the Universe Worlds corresponding to these fruits.
He could even tell which Great Territory these Universe Worlds were located in by observing the void around them through this link.
Yang Kai’s expression changed as he couldn’t help but ask, “Old Tree, could this place be considered a transit point for 3,000 Worlds?”
The World Tree’s body swayed again as if saying it was a given.
This was not surprising though. The World Tree was the physical manifestation of all the Universe Worlds in 3,000 Worlds, with each of its fruits corresponding to a Universe World. It was closely connected to all the Great Territories and Universe Worlds in this way.
It was no wonder that the Great Ancient Ruins Boundary was so ethereal, and why the rolling fog through which one could enter the Great Ancient Ruins Boundary was able to appear in any Great Territory. Because theoretically speaking, one could enter the Great Ancient Ruins Boundary through any Universe World, depending on whether this Old Tree was willing to let them in or not!
With this discovery, Yang Kai’s interest was immediately piqued as he carefully examined the intact World Fruits.
These fruits corresponded to the Universe Worlds in the Star Boundary’s Territory, while another dozen or so were linked to the Universe Worlds in New Great Territory which was adjacent to the Star Boundary.
The New Great Territory was something Yang Kai had inadvertently discovered when he was fighting with Zuo Quan Hui of Thousand Cranes Paradise. No one from the 3,000 Worlds had stepped foot in it before.
The Small Stone Race was also brought out from the New Great Territory.
Apart from those, there were about 30 more intact World Fruits, which meant that there were an equal number of Universe Worlds in 3,000 Worlds that had not been occupied by the Black Ink Clan, scattered across various Great Territories.
Realizing this, Yang Kai quickly requested, “Old Tree, please assist me!”
Saying so, Yang Kai’s figure flickered as he shot towards one of the World Fruits. This fruit was only the size of a baby’s fist, but at this moment, it suddenly enlarged in Yang Kai’s eyes, allowing him to enter.
The moment he entered the World Fruit, Yang Kai immediately sensed the corresponding Universe World’s location. Space Principles flared and a Void Corridor leading to a distant Great Territory was opened with help from the World Tree.
In a flash, Yang Kai shuttled through the Void and appeared in the vicinity of the Universe World.
The Universe World was both big and beautiful, but it probably hadn’t been long since it was born. Its environment could not be considered good either. It was suitable for inhabitation, but its Principles were still relatively lacking. In other words, if the Martial Dao evolved here, its level would be extremely low.
Scanning it with his Divine Sense, Yang Kai didn’t find any Humans, just some low-level creatures.
He took out his Universe Chart and checked its location, soon concluding that the reason it was not occupied by the Black Ink Clan even after 20 years was because it was located in a remote region. It was quite likely that the Black Ink Clan had simply not discovered its existence, which had allowed this place to escape disaster.
Otherwise, the Black Ink Clan would have definitely not let go of a Universe World like this.
Without further delay, Yang Kai quickly began refining it. After having refined over 2,000 Universe Worlds, he was now quite familiar with this process.
After a couple of days, this Universe World was refined into a World Bead and collected by Yang Kai.
This time, he didn’t even have to ask the Old Tree to pick him up; rather, Yang Kai opened a Void Corridor with the help of the connection between the World Bead and World Tree before stepping inside.
When he reappeared, he was already standing beneath the World Tree.
Yang Kai didn’t even stop to catch his breath, he simply handed the new World Bead he had refined to the World Tree for safekeeping before identifying another intact World Fruit and setting off.
At this moment, he couldn’t help but feel a little frustrated. Had he known that the World Tree could connect to the various Great Territories and Universe Worlds, he would have contacted it long ago.
He could have easily travelled to other Great Territories with the help of World Tree, saving him massive amounts of time. Had he done so earlier, he might have been able to save even more Universe Worlds.
It was just that he had no idea about the World Tree’s stance, so he didn’t dare to rashly disturb it. It was only after he had refined more than 2,000 Universe Worlds and was closely connected to the World Tree that he called out to it.
30 Universe Worlds were not that many, and Yang Kai could refine a Universe World in just a few days now. These Universe Worlds were all quite remotely located, which was why they were never discovered by the Black ink Clan and thus avoided being poisoned by Black Ink Strength.
Most of the Universe Worlds did not have any Humans, only seven or eight in total, but their Martial Daos were not very high. Even when Yang Kai was refining the entire Universe World, the Human inhabitants never noticed a thing.
Today, Yang Kai arrived in the vicinity of another Universe World with the help of the World Tree, but just as he started refining it and reached a critical point, he noticed fluctuations of battle coming from the distance.
Yang Kai was quite taken aback by this discovery and could not understand why someone was fighting in such a remote location.
Logically speaking, the Humans had already evacuated from the greater 3,000 Worlds. Those who should have left had already left, and those who hadn’t were doomed.
There should not be anyone in such a remote place, but the commotion caused by the battle was quite obvious. Furthermore, the person who was fighting was quite strong, at least in the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm.
[Who could it be?]
Yang Kai’s heart was filled with suspicion. Although he was alone, he wasn’t worried about being disturbed; after all, he still had some 10 million Small Stone Race soldiers on him. If any enemy was to come here, even if he could not divert his attention, Yang Kai could just summon a Small Stone Race Army to protect himself.
He paid no heed to the battle and decided to only take a look after he had refined the Universe World before him. But contrary to his plans, the battle was getting closer and closer, as if both sides of the battle were approaching him.
Yang Kai still ignored it. The other party’s approach shouldn’t be intentional, but it was still good news for him. The only ones who could be fighting at this time would be Humans and Black Ink Clansmen. If they were to approach him, he might be able to provide some assistance to the Human side.
About half an hour later, the sounds of the battle really grew closer and now, a strange look appeared on Yang Kai’s face because he felt a familiar aura!
Yang Kai was immediately overjoyed. [What a coincidence… I was planning to look for him after finishing with this business, but who would have thought that I would run into him here.]
[As the old saying goes, a good man does not live long, but a scourge lasts 1,000 years! Guess that makes this bastard immortal!]
The next moment, Yang Kai sent a message to the other party via Divine Sense.
The Human who was fighting with the Black Ink Clan was momentarily taken aback, but was soon overjoyed and quickly started approaching Yang Kai’s position. From the distance, he saw Yang Kai using some kind of strange technique, causing the Universe World in front of him to twist and distort like a reflection in the water, which greatly surprised him, “What are you doing?”
Yang Kai snapped back, “Why do you care? What are you doing here?”
It was none other than Wu Kuang, his entire body covered in blood, cutting quite a sorry figure.
Wu Kuang broke into carefree laughter after hearing Yang Kai’s question and replied, “I’m currently being pursued by a team of Black Ink Clansmen!”
He was acting smug, as if being chased around was something to boast about.
Yang Kai also admired his shamelessness before glancing behind Wu Kuang and frowning slightly, “Is there a Territory Lord?”
Wu Kuang was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, and had mastered the Heaven Devouring Battle Law. It was a simple matter for him to deal with ordinary Feudal Lords. Since he was being pursued and in such a sorry state, obviously, a Territory Lord must have taken action.
Wu Kuang secretly circulated his strength, preparing to flee at any moment, “If you can’t fight, then it’s better to run away; otherwise, there will be no one to even collect your corpse.”
He could also tell that Yang Kai was currently doing something important, and got worried that he wouldn’t be able to help.
Yang Kai smiled proudly, “It’s just a Territory Lord, don’t worry and take a rest, just wait and watch how I take care of him!”
[‘Just’ a Territory Lord…]
Wu Kuang was beside himself in shock, unable to believe that such arrogant words were coming from Yang Kai’s mouth. He then scanned Yang Kai with his Divine Sense before his expression changed greatly, “You’ve reached the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm?”
Wu Kuang and Blood Crow had talked quite a bit while fighting in the Barren Territory battlefield, so Wu Kuang had learned a lot about Yang Kai and knew that the latter had long since broken through to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm and had even killed a number of Territory Lords.
However, Yang Kai had disappeared after the battle outside the Primordial Heavens Source Grand Restriction, with no one knowing if he was dead or alive.
So, Wu Kuang also had no idea. In truth, he didn’t care much about Yang Kai’s life or death, so it was a huge surprise to actually run into each other in this place. Furthermore, Yang Kai was already an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master!
Wu Kuang’s heart was filled with bitterness. He knew that he would not lose to anyone in this World when it came to cultivation speed; after all, the Heaven Devouring Battle Law was both exquisite and ingenious. It was definitely the best cultivation technique in existence. Even Blood Crow, who cultivated the Grand Evolution Immortal Blood Light Scripture, was forced to admit defeat before him. Yet, it had not been long since Yang Kai had advanced to the Seventh Order, so how could he already have reached the Eighth Order so quickly?
“Did you secretly cultivate the Heaven Devouring Battle Law?” Wu Kuang made a wild guess.
Yang Kai sneered, “Do you think I use it so haphazardly like you?”
Wu Kuang sized him up before vigorously shaking his head left and right, “Then this doesn’t make sense!”
If he hadn’t cultivated the Heaven Devouring Battle Law, how could his cultivation increase so rapidly? Yang Kai wasn’t like him, so he would only be dooming himself if he cultivated the Heaven Devouring Battle Law without the Flawless Purifying Golden Lotus.
Yang Kai disdainfully sneered, “This King’s aptitude is not something you can fathom!”
Wu Kuang could not wait to slap him to death. No one had ever dared act so arrogantly in front of him!
While the two were bickering, an army of about 100,000 Black Ink Clansmen had already arrived, led by a Territory Lord and a dozen or so Feudal Lords.
Wu Kuang still maintained a ready-to-flee posture, and was no longer in the mood to bicker with Yang Kai, “If you have any tricks up your sleeve, hurry up and use them. If you delay anymore, I’m afraid we’ll both die here today.”
Yang Kai snorted lightly before opening a portal to his Small Universe. The next moment, a 1,000-metre-tall Small Stone Race member stepped out, followed closely by another.
He had collected millions and millions of Small Stone Race members from the Chaotic Dead Territory back then, and these 1,000-metre-tall Small Stone Race members were all comparable to Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters.
In the beginning, Yang Kai had over 100 of these 1,000-metre-tall giants, but after distributing most of the Small Stone Race Army to the evacuating Human forces as protectors, he was left with just 10 million Small Stone Race soldiers, of which just two were 1,000-metre tall.
On one side was an Innate Territory Lord, while on the other was two 1,000-metre tall Small Stone Race Masters. It was a fairly even match.
Right behind these 1,000-metre-tall Small Stone Race members though was a densely packed army of the Small Stone Race. In an instant, hundreds of thousands charged out of Yang Kai’s Small Universe, and more were still appearing.
Wu Kuang gawked, faintly feeling these creatures were a little familiar. He had spent some time in New Great Territory in the past and had seen ordinary Small Stone Race members; however, the Small Stone Race he had seen was the most primitive of beings, so how could they possibly give off the same awe-inspiring aura as the ones right before him.
The Small Stone Race Army instantly detected Black Ink Strength after stepping out of Yang Kai’s Small Universe. The two leading 1,000-metre tall Small Stone Race Masters furiously roared towards the sky before leading their army towards the Black Ink Clan, as if they had just seen an absolutely irreconcilable enemy.
The Territory Lord on the opposite side couldn’t help but be dumbfounded. They had come here chasing a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Human, but now they were suddenly attacked by a massive army. He was caught a little off guard.
But soon, the Territory Lord recognized these Small Stone Race members.
Over the past 20 years, the Black Ink Clan had encountered armies of similar creatures when they were pursuing the Humans through the various Great Territories. These creatures were extremely valiant when they fought with Black Ink Clan Army, causing them to suffer defeat many times at their hands.
More importantly though, these creatures didn’t fear the corrosion of Black Ink Strength at all, which gave the Black Ink Clan a serious headache.
Apart from directly killing them, the Black Ink Clan had yet to find an effective method to deal with them.
The Territory Lord had never imagined that he would encounter such a formidable enemy here; moreover, the enemy’s numbers were several times greater than his own. On top of all that, there was even an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Human staring at them with hostility.
The Territory Lord instantly wanted to retreat, but before he could do so, the two 1,000-metre Small Stone Race members had already surrounded him. Helpless, the Territory Lord could only retreat while fighting. As for his own army, he couldn’t give a damn about them right now. In this situation, his life was naturally more important.
The sudden appearance of the Small Stone Race Army had thrown the Black Ink Clan pursuers into disarray. Wu Kuang, on the other hand, was in high spirits.
He was chased by this Black Ink Clan Army for several months already, during which time he had several brushes with death. In short, he was dead tired. Any other Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master would have long succumbed to exhaustion. It was only thanks to the wonders of the Heaven Devouring Battle Law that he was able to keep his life.
Since the tables had turned with Yang Kai’s help, how could he just sit back and watch? Of course, Wu Kuang wanted to take revenge. Activating the Heaven Devouring Battle Law across a wide area, Wu Kuang began drawing everything into himself. Not only did he devour the Black Ink Clan’s Black Ink Strength, but he also devoured the energy of the Small Stone Race.
If it had only happened once or twice, it could have been explained as an accident, but after tasting the benefits contained in these Small Stone Race, Wu Kuang became more unrestrained, and the Heaven Devouring Battle Law’s range enlarged. Not only did the Black Ink Clan endlessly cry out in grievance, but even the Small Stone Race Army suffered numerous casualties.
The Small Stone Race in Yang Kai’s hands had all evolved with the help of the Burning Light and Serene Glimmer, so to Wu Kuang, their energy was far more beneficial than Black Ink Strength.
Yang Kai saw this and immediately cursed, “Old thief, don’t touch my Small Stone Race soldiers!”
It was only because he had reached a critical juncture in his refinement of the Universe World that he couldn’t handle other matters; otherwise, he would definitely beat Wu Kuang up.
Wu Kuang assured, laughing loudly, “It was a mistake, a mistake. Don’t worry about it!”
But at least after that, he acted with some discretion.
Yang Kai quickly concentrated on refining the Universe World, and half a day later, he stretched out his hand and made a scooping gesture in the Void, as if he was trying to pluck the moon’s reflection from a lake. The next moment, the Universe World disappeared and a World Bead appeared in his hand.
Having finished, Yang Kai arrived in front of the Territory Lord who was being attacked by the two 1,000-metre Small Stone Race members in a flash. Not even using his Azure Dragon Spear, he just unleashed a simple punch; however, this one punch made the Territory Lord’s chest cave in as he spurted a mouthful of blood.
The Territory Lord was already struggling under the two-pronged attacks of the two Small Stone Race giants, so how could he resist Yang Kai’s sudden attack?
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to escape, but the 1,000-metre-tall Small Stone Race members’ attacks were too strong and fearsome, giving him no room for escape.
The Black Ink Clan Army under him had suffered continuous casualties at the hands of the Small Stone Race, dropping to around 30,000 in total from an original 100,000. Now, with the Eighth-Order Master joining in, he knew that his death had come.
Driven into desperation, the Territory Lord became ruthless. His Black Ink Strength started madly surging, making it look like he was prepared to die as long as he could drag them down with him.
Be that as it may, how could Yang Kai allow him to do as he wished? Utilizing numerous Dao Strengths, one after another, Yang Kai beat the Territory Lord dizzy. Coupled with the cooperation of the two Small Stone Race Masters, the Territory Lord was completely powerless to do anything.
In the time it takes to boil a cup of tea, the Territory Lord was blown to pieces by Yang Kai’s fists, spurting black blood everywhere. Wu Kuang, who saw everything from a distance, had his brow twitching visibly.
When Yang Kai had scoffed at it being ‘just a Territory Lord’, he thought that this Brat had become a braggart; even if Yang Kai was an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he would have had his hands full against a Territory Lord.
By the looks of it, this Brat’s strength was simply abnormal. Although he was assisted by two Small Stone Race members, Yang Kai’s strength was the key.
Wu Kuang was still secretly absorbing some of the Small Stone Race members’ energy, but after witnessing Yang Kai’s strength, he didn’t dare act presumptuously anymore, lest he be beaten black and blue.
He was someone who had been famous for tens of thousands of years before Yang Kai was born, so being taught a lesson by a Junior like him would have made him lose all face.
Without the support of the Territory Lord, the remaining Black Ink Clan Army found it even harder to resist the encirclement of the Small Stone Race Army. Yang Kai did not make any further moves, whereas the two 1,000-metre-tall Small Stone Race members fought their way into the encirclement, wiping out all of the Black Ink Clan soldiers in less than half an hour.
Only then did Yang Kai activate the Great Sun Mark and collect this Great Sun Small Stone Race Army to prevent them from running about.
After having dealt with this, Yang Kai turned to Wu Kuang and asked, “Why are you here?”
When he was in the Shattered Heaven, Yang Kai had asked a pair of Heavenly River Palace disciples about Wu Kuang’s whereabouts, but they could only tell him the latter had disappeared some years ago.
The Shattered Heaven Masters should have already been evacuated back to the Star Boundary; however, Yang Kai hadn’t expected to encounter Wu Kuang here either.
Wu Kuang casually replied, “After the Human Race Army in the Barren Territory retreated, this King decided to wander off alone.”
As far as others were concerned, retreating to the Star Boundary with the army was the safest option, but to Wu Kuang, this was a good opportunity to apply his talents.
When he was in the Shattered Heaven, he had still restrained himself a little; after all, the Heaven Devouring Battle Law was not a glorious cultivation technique. If some Master from one of the Cave Heavens or Paradises decided to exterminate evil and uphold righteousness, they might just kill him.
Even when he was extra careful, Wu Kuang still managed to provoke Withering Flame Divine Monarch and was hunted all the way to the Shattered Ruins. By some chance and coincidence, he entered the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land and then followed a group of Divine Spirits to the Barren Territory battlefield.
When he arrived at the Barren Territory battlefield, Wu Kuang finally let himself loose!
There, no one would care what kind of cultivation method one used. So long as one could kill the Black Ink Clan, they would be comrades!
On the Barren Territory battlefield, Wu Kuang had obtained quite a harvest and his cultivation had also risen rapidly.
Unfortunately, the good days didn’t last long. The Black Ink Clan broke through the boundary wall leading to Wind Mist Territory, forcing the Human Race Army to retreat. Wu Kuang couldn’t be bothered to move with the others, so he found an excuse to leave.
When he was fighting together with the other Humans, Wu Kuang always had to worry about accidentally injuring his allies, but now that he was alone and surrounded by enemies, he had completely let himself go.
Not only did he devour many, many Black Ink Clansmen, he even dared to devour the energy from Universe Worlds occupied by the Black Ink Clan. Along the way, his cultivation rose at an astonishing pace, but this also provoked the Black Ink Clan who started pursuing him.
Wu Kuang would really have been in danger if he hadn’t met Yang Kai here today.
It was also because of this encounter that Wu Kuang faintly felt that his strength was still too low. Although the Black Ink Clan could no longer deploy Royal Lords to the battlefield, they still had plenty of Territory Lords. As a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, Wu Kuang was still a little lacking when facing a Territory Lord.
Only after advancing to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm could he truly act without restraint.
Unfortunately, even with the Heaven Devouring Battle Law, it was not easy to break through to the Eighth Order.
The fact that Yang Kai was already an Eighth-Order Master made him quite envious.
How could Yang Kai have known what Wu Kuang had gone through all these years? He only thought that Wu Kuang had been hiding in the Shattered Heaven all this while, so he was extremely surprised when he heard all about Wu Kuang’s experience, “You went to the Barren Territory battlefield?”
Wu Kuang proudly declared, “This King has obtained outstanding military merits! I’m also famous in your Great Evolution Army.”
Seeing his smug look, Yang Kai found it funny and proposed, waving off, “Let’s talk later, come with me.”
Yang Kai had many things he wanted to ask Wu Kuang and he also needed Wu Kuang’s cooperation in a plan he had in mind, but he did not forget there were still many intact Universe Worlds waiting for him to refine.
Having said that, he reached out to grab Wu Kuang.
Wu Kuang hesitated a little, but chose to go along with him. Since the day he became famous, he had become the target of everyone’s hatred. He had long developed a lone-wolf persona, but if there was anyone in this world he was willing to believe, then it would probably be Yang Kai.
In the past, it was Yang Kai who secretly brought him to the Shattered Heaven; otherwise, he would have remained hidden in the New Great Territory all this time. After all, Myriad Demons Heaven’s Pei Wen Xuan had died at his hands.
Space Principles started fluctuating and Wu Kuang felt as if the entire world had flipped upside down. By the time he came to his senses, he found himself standing in an inexplicable place.
Yang Kai ordered, “You stay here and recuperate, I’ll talk to you later.”
Yang Kai turned around and vanished in the blink of an eye.
Wu Kuang didn’t find this strange at all. Yang Kai was proficient in the Dao of Space, and now that his cultivation was an Order higher than Wu Kuang’s, it was indeed difficult for Wu Kuang to catch his movements.
Wu Kuang started looking around and soon had his attention focused on a huge, towering tree in front of him. The tree seemed to be ailed by some kind of illness as it looked sickly and most of its fruits were even rotten.
Wu Kuang furrowed his brow as he kept staring at the tree. He vaguely found the towering tree a little familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before. Oddly enough, he even got the feeling that there was some kind of bad blood between them!
In another place, Yang Kai once again arrived outside a completely intact Universe World, and this time, the refining process was quite smooth.
After refining that Universe World into a World Bead, Yang Kai returned to the Great Ancient Ruins Boundary and saw Wu Kuang sitting cross-legged in front of the World Tree, staring at it.
He didn’t pay the sight any heed and continued using the World Tree as a transit point to head towards the next Universe World.
After several more trips, he finally finished refining all of the still intact Universe Worlds.
When Yang Kai returned to the Great Ancient Ruins Boundary for the last time, he was beside himself in shock at the sight before him. The towering World Tree was nowhere to be seen, while Wu Kuang was hugging the lower half of a short, stubby old man. By the looks of it, he was pestering the old man, begging for something.
The dense and thick hair on the old man’s head looked like branches, and countless fruits were growing on them.
The old man’s lower body did not have any legs either and was instead something weird that looked like it was composed of countless roots.
Although Yang Kai had never seen this old man before, he could tell that he was the World Tree at a glance; after all, the branches on his head and the roots on his lower body were too obvious.
What surprised him was that the World Tree could actually transform into such an appearance, something he had never seen before.
The old man was also holding a walking stick in his hand and looked completely incensed as he beat Wu Kuang’s head with it. Wu Kuang appeared to be in quite a sorry state, bleeding from his head with red liquid pouring down his face.
Even so, Wu Kuang was still tightly holding onto the old man’s lower body, refusing to let go. Yang Kai could even sense him using the Heaven Devouring Battle Law.
Wu Kuang was pleasantly surprised after seeing Yang Kai appear, and shouted, “Yang Boy, this is the World Tree, quickly help me refine it!”
It had taken him a long time to recognize that this was the legendary World Tree, but once he had, how could Wu Kuang resist the temptation of such a precious treasure?
Over the past few years, he did not even let off Black Ink Strength, so Wu Kuang immediately expressed his desire to refine the World Tree with practical actions. If he really succeeded in refining it, he would definitely be able to reach the Heavens in a single bound.
At that time, not to mention Territory Lords, he would be able to devour even Royal Lords with ease.
Had he still been able to use his Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation, he wouldn’t be in such a sorry state, but this was the Great Ancient Ruins Boundary where no matter what one’s Order was, it was difficult for him or her to mobilize the World Force of their Small Universe. At most, one could only display the strength of the Emperor Realm.
A mere Emperor Realm Master couldn’t do anything against the World Tree.
The Old Tree kept bashing Wu Kuang’s head with the walking stick to the point that Wu Kuang had started to feel dizzy. Be that as it may, Wu Kuang held on, seemingly willing to die for his great cause.
The roots of the Old Tree’s lower body also kept lashing him like thousands of whips, tearing his skin and flesh.
While they were entangled with each other, Yang Kai walked over.
Old Tree immediately voiced his grievance, “Boy, why did you bring someone like him here!”
The Old Tree was not just angry, he was also exasperated and even a little frightened, for this was actually not the first time something like this had happened. He had faced a similar situation a very long time ago.
At that time, when that fellow named Shi saw him, he had also acted in such a manner, clamouring to refine him, making him panicked!
What’s more, at that time, the Secret Art Shi had used was exactly the same as the one in front of him was using.
The Old Tree immediately understood that the fellow in front of him was definitely connected to Shi somehow; otherwise, how could he come to possess the same Secret Art?
Yang Kai was also rendered speechless by the scene before him. He quickly stepped forward and grabbed Wu Kuang by the neck, lifting him up with a little force.
Having escaped from Wu Kuang, the Old Tree quickly hid far away and breathed a sigh of relief.
Wu Kuang, who was being held by Yang Kai, turned to the latter before stoically and indifferently stating, “This King is still your Senior, is this how you treat me? Put me down!”
Apparently, he was more ashamed of being held like this than anything else.
Yang Kai put him down and warned him in a distressed voice, “Stop messing around!”
Wu Kuang adjusted his clothes as if nothing had happened, but the bruises and bloodstains on his face made him look miserable still.
“Why aren’t you restricted by this place?” Wu Kuang asked curiously.
His cultivation had been suppressed to the Emperor Realm, but clearly, Yang Kai had not been suppressed and was still able to display the strength of the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to pick him up like a chicken.
Yang Kai explained, “I have refined many Universe Worlds and obtained the Old Tree’s approval, so naturally I am not restricted here.”
Wu Kuang was absorbed in his thoughts after this revelation.
Yang Kai then looked at the Old Tree and asked, clicking his tongue in surprise, “You can even take Human Form?”
[Since you could assume Human Form, what was the point of shaking your trunk to communicate with me?]
The Old Tree replied, “This Old Master has lived for so long, it would be stranger if I was not able to transform like this. Anyways, why did you bring him here? Quickly take him away!”
Although Wu Kuang’s cultivation was locked at the Emperor Realm, the Old Tree didn’t feel safe with him.
Yang Kai agreed, “I’ll be leaving immediately, but before I leave, Old Tree, I have a presumptuous request.”
Old Tree looked at him vigilantly, “Tell me.”
Yang Kai bowed to him before stating, “The Black Ink Clan has invaded the 3,000 Worlds on a large scale. We Humans had no choice but to retreat to the Star Boundary. Many Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters sacrificed their lives on the Barren Territory battlefield in order to buy time for our younger generations. This Junior sincerely asks Old Tree to take pity on us and bestow upon us some of your clones to nurture our Human Race’s talents!”
Judging by the Old Tree’s expression, it appeared as if he had expected this request. As soon as Yang Kai spoke about a request, he had already guessed what it would be.
After pondering for a moment, he asked, “How many do you want?”
Yang Kai pondered about it for a moment. When he saw Wu Kuang secretly gesturing to him, he immediately stated, “Not much, 100 roots should be enough!”
Wu Kuang gasped, secretly shocked by Yang Kai’s unreasonable demand for he had clearly gestured for 10.
The Old Tree chuckled as a kind look appeared on his face, “Boy, you’re quite interesting, how can 100 roots be not much? Why don’t you just let him refine this Old Master instead?”
Wu Kuang immediately took a step forward, expressing that he was ready at any moment, it was just that the old man was not inviting him!
Yang Kai tentatively asked, “Then 90?”
Old Tree stated angrily, “Do you know that every time this Old Master cuts off one of his roots, it will severely damage my foundation? This Old Master’s body is related to the Universe Worlds of the entire 3,000 Worlds. If this Old Master’s foundation is greatly damaged, that damage is distributed back to the Universe Worlds, damaging all of them as well. Moreover, you don’t understand the secret behind the feedback of my clones at all. If you understood its intricacies, you wouldn’t have made such ridiculous demands.”
Yang Kai had really never thought about the feedback of the World Tree clone. He only knew that the World Tree clone was extremely beneficial to the living beings below the Open Heaven Realm, but he had never thought about the reason behind it.
After hearing the Old Tree say so much though, he realized that there was some great secret behind it.
He thus humbly requested, “Please enlighten me, Old Tree.”
The Old Tree looked at him deeply before answering, “The reason why this Old Master’s clones are able to nourish a Universe World is not because of its own abilities, but because all my clones are closely related to this Old Master. My clones draw energy from other Universe Worlds through this Old Master’s body to nourish that particular World. Still, this extraction will affect the development of all other Universe Worlds as well.”
Realization suddenly dawned upon Yang Kai, “Does Old Tree mean that the reason the Star Boundary is so prosperous now is that it extracts good fortune and energy from other Universe Worlds to nourish itself?”
Old Tree nodded his affirmation, “Exactly.”
This was the first time Yang Kai had heard of such a thing, but since it was mentioned by the World Tree himself, it was obviously not a lie. And after he gave it another thought, Yang Kai found this answer quite reasonable.
“If that’s the case, doesn’t it mean that having more clones isn’t the better choice?” Yang Kai immediately realized that the benefits of these clones did not lie in themselves. The nourishment provided by these clones did not actually come from them, but rather was the energy extracted from other Universe Worlds. This extraction could not be without limitations under the premise that it did not damage the development of other Universe Worlds.
If there was only one clone, this kind of feedback would be extremely powerful, but if there were two clones, the feedback energy would also be divided into two. The more of them there were, the less the feedback there would be; after all, the total number of Universe Worlds in 3,000 worlds was fixed.
No wonder Old Tree had said that if he understood the mysteries behind it, he wouldn’t have made such a ridiculous request.
If the benefits of the clones were because of the energy extracted from the other Universe Worlds, then having too many clones would be useless.
Yang Kai suddenly thought of something and asked, “What about the clone in a cultivator’s Small Universe?”
The Old Tree replied, “Naturally, the same is true for it too. Your Small Universe also has one of my clones. Previously, it was difficult for you to detect it, but now that you’ve refined so many Universe Worlds, if you calmly sense it, you’ll definitely be able to see through it.”
Yang Kai didn’t place much importance on these concerns before, but he quickly performed a deeper investigation and realised that, just as the Old Tree had said, the World Tree clone in his Small Universe drew its nourishment from somewhere else, and the direction it drew nourishment from had a lot to do with the Universe Worlds he refined.
[So that’s how it is!]
The nourishment from the clone feedback was not created out of thin air but from the strength of many Universe Worlds! The prosperity of the Star Boundary was also due to the power drawn from other Universe Worlds.
“But, Old Tree, now that most of the Universe Worlds have been conquered by the Black Ink Clan, why don’t I feel a reduction in the incoming nourishment?” Yang Kai was a little puzzled.
If what the Old Tree claimed was true, only the 2,000 or so Universe Worlds that he refined among the rest remained intact whereas the rest were conquered by the Black Ink Clan. Most of the Universe Worlds conquered by the Black Ink Clan already had a Black Ink Nest planted on them, consuming their World Force clean. There were far fewer Universe Worlds now, which should have meant less nourishment from the World Tree clones.
However, Yang Kai did not feel that was the case; instead, the nourishment from the World Tree clone in his Small Universe remained the same as it was previously, and it was most likely the same for the Star Boundary.
Old Tree replied, “If you only need to nourish one World, input from only a few Universe Worlds is required, somewhere between 100 to 200. The Universe Worlds you saved far exceed that number.”
Understanding this, Yang Kai rejoiced. If he hadn’t saved all these Universe Worlds throughout these years, the nourishment from the World Tree clones would have vanished altogether after the Black Ink Clan had taken control of every Universe World. By that time, the Star Boundary would no longer deserve its title as an Open Heaven Realm Cradle, and even the clone in Yang Kai’s clone in his Small Universe might lose its power.
Yang Kai couldn’t help but feel a little frightened. Fortunately, he had been working hard to refine Universe Worlds these past 20 years, which led to this unexpected benefit.
Wu Kuang secretly asked Yang Kai, “How many Universe Worlds did you save throughout the years?”
“Around 2,000,” he simply replied.
After some silent calculation, Wu Kuang said again, “If that’s the case, it shouldn’t be a problem to have another 15 World Tree clones.”
According to the World Tree, it only required 100 to 200 Universe Worlds to share their power to nourish a Universe World, so if there were more than 2,000 left, it shouldn’t be a problem to have 15 more World Tree clones.
Realizing that, he hurriedly told Yang Kai, “Hey, Brat, I want one!”
Who in the Open Heaven Realm wouldn’t crave the mystical effects of a World Tree clone? Though Wu Kuang was proficient in the Heaven Devouring Battle Law and his cultivation had advanced rapidly and without problems throughout the years, he could sense some instabilities in his foundation. If he managed to acquire a World Tree clone to protect and sustain his Small Universe, all those potential problems would be solved.
It was precisely because of this consideration that after recognizing the World Tree, Wu Kuang anxiously wanted to refine it. However, due to him being relatively weaker than the other, he was beaten back by Old Tree.
Unfortunately, Yang Kai realized something and shook his head, “I’m afraid there won’t be that many.”
With a nod of approval for Yang Kai, the Old Tree remarked, “Indeed.”
Wu Kuang might be unclear about it, but Yang Kai and Old Tree knew clearly that though it only required 100 to 200 Universe Worlds to nourish a World Tree clone’s World, there was an issue.
There were currently two active clones out there, one in the Star Boundary and one in Yang Kai’s Small Universe; however, the latter required an immense number of Universe Worlds as time flowed significantly faster there than in the outside world.
Understanding this, Yang Kai respectfully asked, “Old Tree, how many more can you offer?”
After a moment of deep consideration, the Old Tree tapped the walking stick in his hand and sighed, “Only three more! Anything more than that will affect the strength of nourishment.”
Wu Kuang’s expression turned dark. If there are 15 more, he may be able to get one, but if it was just three, Yang Kai might not be willing.
After all, he wasn’t that close to Yang Kai.
Without trying to negotiate, as he knew it would be pointless, Yang Kai bowed and said while cupping his fist, “Old Tree, please give me three of your clones!”
The continuance of the World Tree was linked to the survival of 3,000 Worlds, so Yang Kai believed that at times like this, Old Tree would not be stingy. Three World Tree clones was likely the maximum he could offer.
The Old Tree gave a light nod, and the numerous roots on its lower body squirmed. Three of them eventually broke off and sprouted into three tiny saplings.
Just as Wu Kuang prepared to dash forward to snatch one, space around him froze and he became immobile. He knew clearly that it was Yang Kai’s doing. This Brat who manipulated Space Principles was stopping him, causing him to squirm and glare at Yang Kai.
Yang Kai naturally ignored him. After carefully putting the three clones into his Small Universe, he thanked the Old Tree.
The Old Tree waved his hand, “This old man can only do so much. The future of the 3,000 Worlds is in the hands of you Humans. If you win, I can continue to live; otherwise, I will inevitably perish as well.”
“Old Tree may rest assured, the Human Race will not be defeated. However, Junior may come visit you somewhat frequently in the future,” stated Yang Kai immediately.
Now that he could use the World Tree as a transit point to travel around the Great Territories, he would undoubtedly arrive here frequently in the future.
However, this method of travel had its limitations. After using the World Tree to travel back and forth many times, Yang Kai realised that, though this approach enabled him to connect to the World Tree at any moment and arrive at the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, he had to connect to a Universe World of a particular Great Territory if he wished to travel from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary to that Great Territory as he needed to make use its World Will.
The reason he could travel across almost every Great Territory currently was even though most of the Universe Worlds were occupied by the Black Ink Clan, the Universe World’s Wills had yet to completely vanish. As long as the Universe Worlds still had some semblance of Will, it indicated that the World Tree was still linked to it.
But after some time, it would become difficult for Yang Kai to do this.
Even right now, he couldn’t go to the Black Ink Battlefield, because the Universe Worlds on the Black Ink Battlefield had been dead for many, many years, with their Wills all having been destroyed long ago.
The Old Tree nodded lightly, and without delay, his figure shook and his body returned to its majestic towering tree form again. Most of the fruits on the tree were sick and rotting, a worrying sight.
“By the way, Old Tree, this Junior wants to bring out all the Divine Spirits here since they have strong combat abilities,” Yang Kai made such a request.
There were no other sentient living beings in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary except for the Divine Spirits. These Divine Spirits’ strength were restricted by the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary as well so they weren’t very powerful; even once they departed from here, it would take many years before they completely familiarised themselves with the outside world’s Principles and slowly restored their true strength.
This was the case with Zhu Jiu Yin back then. She had power equivalent to an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, yet when she first left the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, she could at most display power similar to a Seventh-Order Master. After that, it took decades to slowly return to her peak.
There were quite a number of Divine Spirits in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, with Yang Kai having seen dozens of them back when he first came here. There were also a number who he had not met. Every single Divine Spirit here was like another High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master, so bringing them along would be of great help now that the Human Race was in a vulnerable state.
Additionally, these Divine Spirits had always wanted to escape from the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, so Yang Kai thought that they would also be willing to leave with him.
Old Tree replied, “If you wish, this Old Master has no objection, but do keep in mind that the ancestors of these Divine Spirits have histories of wicked deeds that put the 3,000 Worlds in jeopardy. The current generation is innocent of those crimes, but you should be careful.”
Yang Kai now understood why there were so many Divine Spirits gathered here. It was because these Divine Spirits’ ancestors had done something to threaten the stability of the 3,000 Worlds, therefore, the Old Tree imprisoned them here. However, he was not a merciless jailer and gave a chance for these Divine Spirits to escape this prison.
Each time the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary opened, the Divine Spirits could select a Bearer from among the Humans that were swept inside to engage in the Spirit Seizing War, and the Bearer that won would be able to leave the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary with the Divine Spirit that chose them.
Back then, Zhu Jiu Yin had chosen Yang Kai; otherwise, she would not have been able to escape the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary.
To the Human Race, the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary was a Sealed World that they yearned to enter, but to the native Divine Spirits, it was a prison.
Many Divine Spirits never got the chance to leave this place and simply passed away here; after all, the opening of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary was too rare.
“This Junior will tame them well.”
Saying so, he flashed and disappeared into thin air.
Wu Kuang, who was still left frozen in place, cursed Yang Kai furiously.
The next moment, a branch from the Old Tree flicked over and knocked Wu Kuang to the ground, causing the latter to explode in rage!
He had never suffered such humiliation in his entire life of cultivation, not even in the brutal battle with other Great Emperors in the Shattered Star Sea.
In a certain mountain valley, a Divine Spirit resembling an ox with a height of about 3,000 metres was sleeping soundly. It looked exactly like a mountain as it lay there, with white smoke puffing from its nostrils as it snored.
In the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, the Divine Spirits remained essentially inactive because there were no other sentient beings besides them on usual days. It was not until the opening of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary that Humans would flood in, making the atmosphere slightly livelier.
While this Divine Spirit was sleeping soundly, a voice sounded next to his ears, “Zhu Jian, recognize me as your Master, and I shall bring you along to leave the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. Are you willing?”
The next moment, Zhu Jian awoke, and as he opened his eyes, he saw a Human figure. He briefly felt lost for a moment before bursting with excitement.
[A Human!? Does that mean that the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary opened?]
Every opening of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary was an extremely rare opportunity for the Divine Spirits who were trapped here. The remaining Divine Spirits had been jealous of Zhu Jiu Yin for many years ever since she escaped from here last time.
Now that an unfamiliar Human had arrived and was standing right in front of him, Zhu Jian believed that his chance had finally come!
Rising slowly and purposefully releasing the pressure of a Divine Spirit, Zhu Jian looked down onto the tiny Human and laughed sarcastically, “You want me to accept you as my Master? Are you dreaming? Have you ever heard any Divine Spirit acknowledging any other as their Master?”
Yang Kai thought for a while before shaking his head, “No.”
The Divine Spirits had always been arrogant beings; how could it lower their heads for a mere Human?