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Translator: Silavin & Jon
Translation Checker: PewPewLazerGun
Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys
There were a Star City and Universe Temple in Great Evolution Territory, so it would be convenient for Grandmaster Ma Fan to get the information he needed from these two places as both places were filled with people from all walks of life, and all sorts of information spread around very quickly.
Therefore, the old man returned about ten days later.
Yang Kai was waiting for him in the main hall, but he didn’t get up to greet him when he saw him. The old man was obviously in a different mood. A glimmer of hope suddenly came into his sight just when he had almost given up. Despite his best efforts, he could barely contain his excitement.
The information he obtained from the Star City and Universe Temple proved that Yang Kai didn’t lie to him. There was really an amazing World Tree in the Star Boundary that had attracted the attention of everyone in the 3,000 Worlds. All 108 Cave Heavens and Paradises had set up Dao Temples while many High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had gathered together in that place.
The Star Boundary was now touted to be the 3,000 Worlds’ Open Heaven Realm Cradle, which was a peerless honour.
Although Grandmaster Ma Fan hadn’t gone to the Star Boundary to see it for himself, he could confirm that Yang Kai wasn’t exaggerating.
Faced with such a temptation, both the old man and Great Evolution Paradise were unable to resist it; therefore, despite knowing that he had to pay a price by biting the bait, he would still do it.
The old man then took a seat in front of Yang Kai and spoke in a frank tone, “Although Great Evolution Paradise is now a husk of its former self, we used to be one of the 72 Paradises. Just like you’ve given to the other Cave Heavens and Paradises, we’ll also get five disciples from the Star Boundary every 100 years, and I want a landmass of 500,000 square kilometres to use as a Dao Temple.”
“Good.” Yang Kai nodded as he didn’t have the intention of haggling with him over this.
The old man was slightly surprised by his straightforwardness, then he continued, “I don’t know what benefits those Cave Heavens and Paradises have offered you, but we don’t have any rewards to give you now. However, you owed me a favour, and you must have come all the way here to ask for something. I won’t take advantage of you. Just see it as you’ve returned the favour, and I’ll also agree to your request this time.”
Yang Kai put on a grin, “You’re truly a straightforward person, Senior. I won’t stand on ceremony then. Do we have a deal?”
Grandmaster Ma Fan nodded, “However, you’ll have to wait here for a while longer. I’ll have to send the young ones to the Star Boundary and help them settle down before I return and refine the artifact for you.”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “I’m not in a rush for that artifact. You can handle the matters regarding Great Evolution Paradise first.”
He knew that the old man would never be at ease before having a look at the Star Boundary himself. Only when the old man visited the Star Boundary and witnessed its prosperity would the deal be approved.
After a pause, Yang Kai added, “Senior, would you be interested in becoming a Supreme High-Rank Guest Elder of High Heaven Palace? If you agree to it, I’ll offer more benefits to the disciples of Great Evolution Paradise living in the Star Boundary.”
Grandmaster Ma Fan fell silent upon hearing that.
Seeing that the old man didn’t immediately reject him, Yang Kai knew that there might be some hope; hence, he quickly followed up, “There’s no rush in making a decision, Senior. You can have a look at the Star Boundary first, and we’ll talk about it later. To be honest with you, Yu Chang Dao of Free and Unfettered Paradise is now a Supreme High-Rank Guest Elder of High Heaven Palace.”
Grandmaster Ma Fan stared intently at him and remarked, “It seems that the Star Boundary is truly attractive to a lot of people.”
If that wasn’t the case, a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master wouldn’t have agreed to becoming a Guest Elder of a Universe World Sect.
Yang Kai put on a meaningful grin.
The old man got up and said, “I’ll make the arrangements for the young ones now. You can do whatever you want here.”
After taking a few steps forward, he turned his head and asked, “What do you want me to make for you this time?”
Yang Kai hurriedly replied, “A mobile palace artifact. I suffered a setback when I was dealing with Zuo Quan Hui previously, so I want to obtain one for my Sect.”
Grandmaster Ma Fan commented, “That will require a lot of materials. You’d better get prepared.”
Yang Kai smiled and nodded, “I know.”
The old man stopped talking and left the place.
It was pretty troublesome to send the young ones of Great Evolution Paradise to the Star Boundary. First of all, they had to pick out disciples with exceptional aptitudes. Nalan Lu Shui and the others were astounded when they heard about the news. Yang Kai went on to wait in the place where Grandmaster Ma Fan usually lived for one month before he saw the old man again.
After some asking, Yang Kai found out that Nalan Lu Shui was still in the process of selecting disciples, and it would take some time before the matter could be settled.
Yang Kai said, “Senior, it’ll take you half a year to go to the Star Boundary and come back here, so I won’t linger here. After you arrive at the Star Boundary, just look for the Head Manager of High Heaven Palace, Hua Qing Si, and she’ll make all the arrangements. Also, you can tell her all the materials that are required to refine the palace artifact. She’ll prepare everything.”
After saying that, Yang Kai passed the old man a jade slip that served as a Faith Token. Yang Kai had written down all the information Hua Qing Si would need.
Grandmaster Ma Fan took it and frowned, “Are you not coming with me?”
Yang Kai replied with a smile, “I’m not going back for now as I still have other matters to attend to. I’ll come get the palace artifact when I return to this place in the future.”
“Good.” The old man nodded as he didn’t want to force him. A moment later, he suddenly said, “Take out your Void Yin-Yang Mirrors.”
Upon hearing that, Yang Kai grinned from ear to ear as he said, “Many thanks, Senior.”
Grandmaster Ma Fan said, “I’ve never taken advantage of anyone before. Artifact Refining is my craft, and it won’t take me much effort. Since you’ve offered me such great help, I’ll repay you in kind. Regardless of whether I agree to becoming a Supreme High-Rank Guest Elder of your Sect, you can come to me whenever you need to refine artifacts in the future.”
Yang Kai was ecstatic, “Many thanks, Senior!”
Since he had gotten such a promise, it no longer mattered whether the old man would become a Guest Elder or not.
Sixteen Array Boards were then taken out swiftly. Grandmaster Ma Fan asked for many materials from Yang Kai before he started working on them. He certainly needed to repair the damaged parts, but he also planned to remodel them based on the existing foundation.
Just like refining pills, making artifacts required attention to detail. Usually, once an artifact had taken shape, it would require an Artifact Refiner more skillful than the original creator to further refine and improve it. Grandmaster Ma Fan was obviously capable of doing this. It would just take him some time to refine the hastily made Array Boards, which wasn’t difficult for him at all.
When Yang Kai retrieved the Void Yin-Yang Mirrors some time later, the sizes of all sixteen Array Boards had shrunk significantly. Additionally, the Void Yin-Yang Mirrors obviously had been upgraded after the refinement. The consumption of energy it would require to activate this set of artifacts had been lessened and their sturdiness had been improved.
Yang Kai was certainly pleased with it.
Grandmaster Ma Fan would only start refining the palace artifact after he returned from the Star Boundary, and it would take a lot of time. Since Yang Kai didn’t have the intention to wait here, he bid the old man farewell. He wouldn’t need to worry about the materials anyway. By then, Grandmaster Ma Fan would just have to give a list to Hua Qing Si, and everything would be prepared by her.
However, before Yang Kai’s departure, Grandmaster Ma Fan suddenly recalled something as he said, “Leave that Purple Qi here. I can mix it in with the palace artifact and increase its power.”
Hearing that, Yang Kai hurriedly fished out the Purple Qi from his Small Universe and asked curiously, “Does Senior know what this thing is?”
He had previously noticed that Grandmaster Ma Fan was a little interested in the Purple Qi, so the old man could clearly recognise it. The item was certainly terrific since it could catch the attention of an Artifact Refining Grandmaster.
“It’s a Purple Heaven Divine Thunder,” Grandmaster Ma Fan replied, “It’s also called the Purging Evil Divine Thunder which is capable of vanquishing all kinds of wicked and malicious intent.”
“Divine Thunder?” Yang Kai was astounded. The Purple Qi that had swirled around his fingers like a snake didn’t look like lightning at all.
Grandmaster Ma Fan didn’t explain anything as he gently flicked the Purple Qi.
The next instant, an explosive sound was heard as a series of booming thunderclaps rang out. The Purple Qi that originally draped around Yang Kai’s fingers in an obedient manner suddenly became violent, as though it was a beast that would swallow its prey alive.
Although Yang Kai was strong, his fingers still felt numb from the impact.
“It’s a very rare material. Only a pristine and pure Universe World can nurture a strand of Purple Heaven Divine Thunder. Unfortunately, with this thing around, such a Universe World is destined to decline.” Grandmaster Ma Fan took the Purple Qi from Yang Kai’s hand and activated his World Force to suppress it. The violent Purple Qi soon became obedient again.
“Why is that?” Yang Kai was puzzled.
Grandmaster Ma Fan explained, “That’s because the entire essence of a Universe World is absorbed into this thing. How could a Universe World survive such a process?”
Yang Kai seemed to understand something.
As the old man looked at the Purple Heaven Divine Thunder in his hand, he fell into his thoughts. He remembered that in the past, there was a woman clad in red clothes in Great Evolution Paradise who possessed a purple sword that was refined from Purple Heaven Divine Thunder. That woman said that she would destroy all evil in the world with her sword in a clear voice. His memory of it was so vivid that it was as though it just happened yesterday.
At that time, Grandmaster Ma Fan was a Common Disciple who had just joined the Sect.
Time passed by so quickly and in the blink of an eye, he was already an old man with a long grey beard.
“You may leave now. The palace artifact will be ready when you come back next time.” Grandmaster Ma Fan waved his hand.
Yang Kai bowed his head, “Many thanks, Grandmaster.”
An hour later, in a Restricted Area in Great Evolution Paradise, candle-lights flickered inside the ancestral hall. In front of more than 30,000 memorial tablets, Grandmaster Ma Fan said with a smile while his eyes were slightly red, “Sect Master, Elders, Senior Brothers, Senior Sisters, I’ve persevered long enough to see this day. There’s hope for Great Evolution Paradise now. Just you wait, I’ll soon lead the descendants of Great Evolution Paradise out to obtain revenge for all of you!”
On that day, a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master arrived at Heavenly Martial Hall’s Great Evolution Branch and destroyed its signboard, though he didn’t harm anyone in the process. The Open Heaven Realm Masters, who were in charge of the Great Evolution Branch, trembled in fear as they had no idea whether they had offended this top cultivator in some way, nor did they know where he came from. They just knew that he was an old man with grey hair and beard.
After he left, the cultivators in the branch hurriedly informed those from the headquarters of Heavenly Martial Hall about it. The Hall Master personally came to look into the matter, but he couldn’t find any answers.
However, after that day, those from Heavenly Martial Hall tactfully stopped using the name Great Evolution for their branch.
A few days later, in the ruins of Great Evolution Paradise, Grandmaster Ma Fan looked down at the selected youths and nodded with satisfaction.
Nalan Lu Shui and the others were surprised to see that their Old Ancestor, who always had a hunchback, was standing tall on this day, as though the burden on his body had finally disappeared.
That last scene really sells the mood
It makes me so happy that the old man got his hope back <3
Nice. I guess they gave a complicated history. Maybe this would lead to the next arc in this story
I think we’re going pretty straight for the next arc: Xu Ling Gong going to some mysyerious place; the mysterious enemies the high rank OH Masters at the world tree are guarding against; the unknown enemy of Grand Evolution Paradise…
prob a next great universe wouldnt be surprised if the entire area was once an expert inner world made manifest
Or a neighbouring one that has a 9th order OH Realm master.
or the ninth order that went crazy due to the mystery being hinted…
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