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Translator: Silavin & Tia
Translation Checker: PewPewLazerGun
Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys
[Is he planning to give me a gift?] Yang Kai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
There was a time when High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters were a distant and unattainable existence to him. They were people whom he could only admire and respect. Yet now, he was not only standing on equal footing with the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters, but also in the position for others to try and give him gifts to win his favour.
However, he was rather curious as to what Shi Zheng planned to give him. Ordinary treasures were not enough to interest him, but Shi Zheng seemed so confident. That could only mean that the gift was truly magnificent.
Zhang Ruo Xi entered the cabin and returned a short while later with an exquisite wooden box in her hands. The box was about the length of her arm and made from an unknown material. More importantly, it was radiating with the aura of a Sixth-Order material.
Yang Kai raised his brow at the sight. Just the box was a Sixth-Order Wood Element material that was worth at least 15 million Open Heaven Pills. Just what was the value of the item placed inside such a box?
Under Shi Zheng’s orders, Zhang Ruo Xi carefully placed the box in front of Yang Kai.
Yang Kai looked at the box suspiciously.
Shi Zheng gestured with a smile, “Please have a look, Sect Master Yang!”
However, Yang Kai remained motionless and shook his head instead, “Elder Shi, there are countless eyes targeting the Good Fortune Divine Furnace. Even if I wish to help you, I am powerless to do anything. Nonetheless, Ruo Xi is a native of the Star Boundary. Just because of that relationship alone, I will do my best to arrange for Lang Ya Paradise to be at the front of the line when the Cave Heavens and Paradises take turns using the Good Fortune Divine Furnace. As for the rest, I’m afraid I’m powerless to help you. So… there’s no need for me to see what’s inside the box. Please take it back, Elder Shi!”
If not for his relationship with Zhang Ruo Xi, Yang Kai would not have come here at all. It was only for her sake that he was willing to accommodate Lang Ya Paradise to some extent, where possible. Unfortunately, over-the-top demands were beyond his ability. The Good Fortune Divine Furnace did not belong to him after all. He was only entrusted this matter by Grandmaster Ma Fan to discuss the Good Fortune Divine Furnace’s right of use with the Cave Heavens and Paradises on behalf of Great Evolution Paradise.
Shi Zheng chuckled, “There’s no need to worry, Sect Master Yang. This is something Lang Ya Paradise prepared especially for you. Let’s leave the rest aside for the time being. Please have a look, Sect Master Yang.”
Yang Kai grinned, “I’m afraid that I might be tempted if I look!”
Shi Zheng’s confidence indicated that the object inside the box was extremely extraordinary. Yang Kai was worried it might actually impress him.
“If this gift can tempt you, Sect Master Yang, then that’s exactly what this King wants!” Shi Zheng smiled and commanded, “Ruo Xi, open the box for Sect Master Yang!”
Zhang Ruo Xi was silent. Giving Yang Kai an apologetic look, she leaned over and placed her hand on the wooden box. She had been absolutely ecstatic when she saw Yang Kai earlier, but after sitting here and listening to the conversation between Shi Zheng and Yang Kai, she vaguely realised that something was wrong. It was just that Shi Zheng was a Lang Ya Paradise Elder. As a disciple, she could not disobey his commands.
The wooden box slowly opened.
When Yang Kai looked into the box, a black thread suddenly shot towards his body at the speed of lightning. It was so fast that he failed to react in time. If he had been on guard, the black thread might not have struck him. Unfortunately, the key point was that he had been unprepared. He had even widened his eyes to look into the wooden box, ready to see what treasure was contained inside. Who could have known a strange object would jump out instead?
As soon as the black thread emerged, an aura that made Yang Kai extremely uncomfortable permeated the air. The black thread immediately buried itself into his body and vanished out of sight.
On the other hand, the smile on Shi Zheng’s face grew deeper! However, his smile soon stiffened on his face. That was because the black thread that had plunged into Yang Kai’s body came back out and seemed to be trying to flee towards him instead.
A large hand suddenly reached out as swiftly as lightning and captured the black thread.
Shi Zheng was dumbfounded! Similarly, Zhang Ruo Xi and Yang Kai were dumbstruck!
The black thread struggled and wriggled violently in Yang Kai’s hands like a living creature. When he looked down at it, he discovered that the black thread had no head or tail. It resembled a large black earthworm. Moreover, its body was releasing an extremely distressing black aura that leaked out from within its body like steam.
[What the Hell is this!? I can tell at a glance that this isn’t anything good!]
Yang Kai looked up and met Shi Zheng’s eyes. The latter had a look of confusion on his face. The corners of Yang Kai’s mouth twitched slightly. Smiling at Shi Zheng politely, Yang Kai slowly placed the black earthworm in his hand back into the wooden box and gently closed the cover before he stuffed the entire box into his Space Ring.
“I like the gift very much, Elder Shi,” He nodded lightly.
Shi Zheng stared at Yang Kai solemnly and traces of his aura slowly began spreading out into the air.
Yang Kai stood up, “Elder Shi, I still have things to do at High Heaven Palace. I will be taking my leave; please excuse me.” Then, he turned to look at Zhang Ruo Xi and continued, “Ruo Xi, follow me back to the Star Boundary!”
Zhang Ruo Xi could tell that something was strange about the situation, so she nodded immediately.
Yang Kai wrapped his power around her, and with a flash of his thoughts, Space Principles began fluctuating in preparation for his return to the Star Boundary. With his current capabilities, he could use the Star Boundary’s World Force to return in an instant as long as he was still inside High Heaven Territory, regardless of the distance.
Shi Zheng stood up, and the aura of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master exploded. When the World Force surged violently, he threw a punch in Yang Kai’s direction. The power behind this punch was absolutely horrifying, causing the local space to warp, severing the connection between Yang Kai and the Star Boundary almost instantaneously.
In that moment of desperation, Yang Kai gently pressed his palm against Zhang Ruo Xi’s body to push her aside. He himself was struck squarely in the back by Shi Zheng’s fist and his figure was thrown forward like a ragdoll as he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Everything occurred so suddenly that Yang Kai had already been injured by Shi Zheng before Zhang Ruo Xi had the time to react. She did not know whether Yang Kai was even still alive.
On the other hand, Shi Zheng showed no intention of paying attention to her at all. He pursued Yang Kai and sent several Divine Abilities at his crumpled body. Following that, he stood in the void and watched with his hands behind his back.
Yang Kai was only in the Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm, but he had a history of killing a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master like Zuo Quan Hui; therefore, everybody in the Cave Heavens and Paradises had some understanding of his strength. That was also why Shi Zheng attacked without holding back in the slightest.
His original plan had failed, so he could only go for the kill. He believed that Yang Kai could not survive his vicious barrage of attacks; however, when the energy fluctuations of those Divine Abilities gradually vanished, he saw a blood-drenched Yang Kai standing there and staring at him coldly.
[He’s not dead?] Shi Zheng’s eyes narrowed slightly at the sight.
Not only was Yang Kai not dead, but he didn’t even look to be heavily injured.
For a moment, Shi Zheng wondered whether his eyesight was compromised. Everything that happened today had left him reeling from disbelief. First, the trap he prepared had been ineffective towards Yang Kai; then, his attacks had failed to settle the matter in a single blow.
[Just what kind of Monster is this brat!?]
“That hurt!” Yang Kai swung his arms and cracked his neck.
If it had been before Yang Kai most recently entered the Shattered Heaven, the sneak attack of a veteran Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master might have killed him on the spot. The other party had struck without holding back in the slightest, so no matter how strong Yang Kai was, it would have been impossible for him to defend himself so suddenly.
Fortunately, he obtained the World Spring in the Shattered Heaven, so even if Shi Zheng was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, those Divine Abilities and the punch to his body were unable to affect his Small Universe in the slightest. All the power in those attacks were borne only by his body, so he did not experience any turbulence in his Small Universe like before.
Furthermore, he currently had the body of 10,000 metres long Grand Dragon. The clothes on his body were also transformed from his Dragon Scales; hence, his defensive abilities were outstanding!
Shi Zheng had attacked with everything he had, and Yang Kai was injured pretty badly as a result. Nevertheless, these injuries were nothing to an Open Heaven Realm Master as long as their Small Universe remained unharmed.
In the distance, Zhang Ruo Xi finally managed to come to a stop after being shoved aside by Yang Kai earlier. When she looked up and saw that Yang Kai was fine, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. A brief moment of hesitation appeared on her face, and then she turned around and sped towards the Star Boundary.
She had no intention of staying behind to fight beside Yang Kai because she knew that she would not be able to help with her Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm cultivation. On the contrary, she would only become a distraction for Yang Kai. All she could do was escape as far as possible so as not to become his burden! That was undoubtedly the correct decision to make.
She did not know the reason why Elder Shi Zheng had plotted against then attacked Yang Kai. Everything that happened just now was extremely difficult to believe. Not to mention, she had clearly felt an intense disgust when the black earthworm-like object emerged from the ‘gift’ that Elder Shi Zheng had wanted to give Yang Kai.
Upon seeing Zhang Ruo Xi escaping out of the corner of his eyes, Yang Kai secretly praised the girl for her intelligence. Only then did he turn to look at Shi Zheng in a leisurely manner and ask, “Why?”
Shi Zheng studied Yang Kai in disbelief, unable to understand why his Divine Abilities were ineffective against him. What puzzled him even more was why Yang Kai had not succumbed to his trap earlier. That was his biggest miscalculation. If his initial plan had worked, all the troublesome matters afterwards would not have happened in the first place.
All of a sudden, Shi Zheng seemed to realise something and asked, “Did you refine one of the Four Universe Pillars?”
“Is this incident your will alone, Elder Shi? Or, is this the stance Lang Ya Paradise is taking?” Yang Kai looked at Shi Zheng calmly.
It would not matter too much if this incident was merely the personal actions of Shi Zheng, but it would become intriguing indeed if it turned out that he actually represented Lang Ya Paradise.
“Which of the Four Universe Pillars did you refine?” Shi Zheng stared at Yang Kai intently.
“What was that black earthworm-like thing?”
Both of them questioned the other, but neither side answered the other’s questions.
Shi Zheng was the first to lose his patience. He had been completely exposed when his attack failed. If he wanted to make up for his mistakes, then he could only silence both Yang Kai and Zhang Ruo Xi. What’s more, those who refined the Four Universe Pillars had to die!
His murderous intent surged without warning, and Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm World Force burst out violently. His figure charged towards Yang Kai at the speed of lightning.
A voice rang out in the universe, “Heaven and Earth, lend me your strength!”
In that moment, Yang Kai instantaneously understood one thing, Shi Zheng had decided on a meeting place located so far away from the Star Boundary because he was afraid Yang Kai would borrow the might of the Star Boundary to obtain the temporary powers of a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master.
However, the truth was that Yang Kai could borrow the strength of the Star Boundary from anywhere as long as he was still within High Heaven Territory.
Following that shout, a look of panic appeared on Shi Zheng’s face. If he allowed Yang Kai to advance into the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm, then he would have no confidence in his ability to kill Yang Kai within a short time.
Those cave heavens and paradise are really full of greedy cowards…
Hello!
Many thanks for the chapter, as always.