Martial Peak
chapter-1236

Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain

Across the rolling mountains, Yang Kai raced forward like a bolt of lightning. Although he was still suppressed by an inexplicable World Principle here and could not fly, without Dai Yuan slowing him down, he was able to use his Wind and Thunder Wings to dramatically increase his pace.

He didn’t have any intention to remain in the fourth layer. Although he knew that there might be some rare spirit grasses and spirit medicines here, it would be too time-consuming to find them.

Yang Kai wanted to quickly see if there was a fifth layer Flame Area. If there was, his primary objective for coming here could be achieved.

The mountain range here was enormous, and as Yang Kai raced through them, he could feel that the World Energy aura here was rich to an incredible degree, denser than any other Cultivation Star he had ever visited before, even faintly comparable to that of the hidden floating continent.

Clouds drifted between the mountain peaks like giant snow-white cotton balls.

Comparing this place to Dragon Cave Mountain, it was like the difference between Heaven and Earth.

Yang Kai’s eyes couldn’t help flashing with shock and desire, secretly thinking that if not for the Flowing Flame Sand Field being one of the Forbidden Zones of the Shadowed Star, this mountain range alone would be enough for all the great Sects on the star to fight a bloody war for.

Which of these great Sects wasn’t located on a cultivation paradise? Each of their headquarters would be established above a large-scale Earth Vein. Only such an Earth Vein could ensure a steady stream of World Energy for disciples to rapidly cultivate and allow a Sect to endure for thousands of years.

For example, as far as Yang Kai knew, beneath Nine Heavens Holy Land’s nine peaks in Tong Xuan Realm, there was a large Earth Vein which allowed its ambient World Energy aura to be so rich.

Soaring Heaven Sect was the same. Beneath its one hundred and eight peaks lay a vast Earth Vein.

The Ancestral Founder of any Sect would not choose to set down roots in a place devoid of World Energy. The first condition for choosing where to establish a Sect would be the existence of an Earth Vein, and the higher the quality it was, the better.

The rolling mountains Yang Kai was currently traversing would definitely be an ideal place to establish a Sect. As long as one allowed disciples of their Sect to cultivate in this paradise, they would grow far faster than ordinary cultivators.

Yang Kai was certain there was more than one peak-level Earth Vein running below this mountain range.

Unfortunately, this was inside the Flowing Flame Sand Field, a place on accessible once every several hundred years for half a year, no one could establish a Sect here as no one could remain here for an extended period of time.

This reality made Yang Kai sigh with regret.

Although he was currently all alone, he had many friends and relatives back in Tong Xuan Realm. If one day he could go back and bring them out into the Star Field, this mountain range would be an excellent place to settle down. Of course, he would first need to have enough strength to protect this place, otherwise, it would only draw the calamity of extermination to him.

Shaking his head, Yang Kai put aside such thoughts from his mind and concentrated on rushing forward.

The mountains here were pristine and untouched, without even any birds or beasts. It seemed that in this fourth layer, the only living creature was Yang Kai.

Also, as he expected, even if there were spirit grasses and spirit medicines in this place, they were extremely rare, because as he ran forward, he never encountered any spirit herbs or even caught a whiff of medicinal fragrance in the air.

Ten days after Yang Kai entered this mountain range, as he was continuing to hurry along, he suddenly came to a stop, frowned, and listened carefully, his expression changing greatly a moment later.

He actually heard some loud noises coming from somewhere up ahead.

Had someone else arrived here even before him? A certain stern-faced man’s image flashed across Yang Kai’s mind as he secretly guessed whether he had entered this place.

The sounds Yang Kai heard didn’t seem to be a result of battle, but rather someone constantly bombarding something. The violent energy fluctuation which spread out from up ahead carried great momentum with him even across a great distance.

Yang Kai immediately became curious. Since he entered this mountain range ten days ago, he hadn’t encountered anything of note, so someone in front of him making such wild movements naturally drew his attention.

Concealing his aura, Yang Kai quietly proceeded forward to see what was going on.

Although Yang Kai didn’t cultivate any kind of concealment technique, his Divine Sense was extremely powerful so as long as he shielded himself from outside perceptions with it, assuming the cultivation of a different party wasn’t too high, they shouldn’t be able to discover him.

As he quietly crept closer towards the source of the sound, Yang Kai was able to feel how terrifying the strength of this person was.

After advancing about ten kilometres, Yang Kai’s steps came to a halt as he stared towards the front with a look of shock.

A thousand meters in front of him, the disciple from Star Emperor Sect stood straight like a sword with a stern look upon his face. It was without a doubt the man who cut the Red Candle Fruit into several portions in front of everyone’s eye and at this moment, an astonishing Saint Qi aura was pulsing from his body. Yang Kai didn’t know what secret technique he used to do it, but this stern-faced man’s body was currently suspended a meter or so above the ground and his muscular frame was shaking slightly, his face extremely red as he madly poured his Saint Qi into a silver spear that he was stabbing fiercely towards the space in front of him.

However, what surprised Yang Kai weren’t the shocking methods this man was using.

While his methods were truly good, his silver spear seemed to multiply every time he stabbed it forward, each spear image carrying with it the power and momentum of a true flood dragon. If he were to face such a violent storm of attacks, Yang Kai had to admit that he could only try to dodge, otherwise, he would suffer no simple flesh wound.

But the space in front of this man seemed to have an invisible barrier, one that was completely blocking all the giant silver spear strikes. In the air, only faint ripples could be seen as they constantly spread out, neutralising all of these spear attacks with ease.

[Barrier! No, a Sect Defending Array!] Yang Kai heart jumped.

He had once served as the Holy Master of Nine Heavens Holy Land, and when Nine Heavens Holy Land was being besieged by powerful enemies, he had personally opened the Sect Defending Array which protected the nine peaks, so at this moment it was easy for him to tell what exactly he was looking at.

There was actually a Sect Defending Array in this wild mountain range where there were neither insects nor birds! And this Sect Defending Array was incredibly powerful. No matter how the stern-faced man from Star Emperor Sect attacked it, this barrier remained completely motionless and showed no signs of being damaged.

Yang Kai was startled.

The Flowing Flame Sand Field had existed for at least tens of thousands of years, and since it came into being, no one had stepped into its third layer and lived. The same was obviously true for the fourth layer and fifth layer, which could only mean that this Sect Defending Array had remained here, in this state, for at least a few tens of thousands of years.

If this Sect Defending Array’s defensive capabilities were still this strong after tens of thousands of years, it was difficult to image just how powerful it would have been all those eons ago.

Why was there a Sect Defending Array here though? This kind of thing was generally arranged by a Sect with massive human and financial resources.

Yang Kai’s gaze left the Star Emperor Sect disciple’s back and looked further ahead, his eyes narrowing as soon as they did.

Among the distant mountains, there were even denser white clouds and countless Spirit Mountains that were being shielded by this Sect Defending Array. Although Yang Kai wasn’t able to clearly see these peaks or their surroundings, he could see faint outlines of seemingly grand buildings and magnificent palaces through the rolling fog.

However, after looking more carefully, Yang Kai found that there was nothing there aside from this, only a continuous sea of clouds out of which the corners of some buildings would occasionally peak.

[There really was a Sect here!]

Just as Yang Kai was lamenting that this place could not be used to establish the foundation of a Sect, he discovered a Sect already existed amongst these rolling mountains, filling his heart with amazement.

Who could build a Sect in such a place though? What kind of people lived inside?

However, after thinking about it, Yang Kai vaguely felt something was wrong. This disciple from Star Emperor Sect was raising such a ruckus, so if there were anyone inside, they wouldn’t just stand by and watch.

It seemed that no one was occupying the Sect, it was just a ruin!

After understanding this point, Yang Kai’s heart clenched.

If this was truly an ancient Sect ruin and judging from the vague jade palaces that could occasionally be seen, a fairly intact one, if one could enter, they may be able to find countless treasures.

Anyone who could establish a Sect in this kind of place, and arrange such a profound Sect Defending Array, was not some obscure existence, how could there not be many wondrous treasures left inside?

“Who’s there?” A low shout suddenly rang in Yang Kai’s ears, waking him from his daze and at the same time shaking his Knowledge Sea, as if it had been struck by a sharp sword.

Yang Kai’s expression became cold and he quickly urged his Spiritual Energy to resist this attack that was trying to break open his Knowledge Sea’s defence. At the same time, his figure flickered and he disappeared from where he was standing, appearing again several dozen meters away in the next instant.

“Hmm?” The stern-faced man from Star Emperor Sect had stopped his attacks at some point and fallen to the ground, still holding his silver spear as he stared at Yang Kai in amazement.

Yang Kai laughed bitterly to himself, knowing that because he became a bit excited just now after discovering these Sect ruins, he had revealed himself.

Now that he had been discovered, Yang Kai didn’t bother trying to conceal himself and stepped out boldly. In any case, he didn’t have any malicious intentions towards this guy so there was no need for him to feel embarrassed.

“It’s you!” The Star Emperor Sect disciple called out in surprise. He had seen Yang Kai twice so far, once in the stalactite cave, and once during the Red Candle Fruit incident, but from beginning to end he had not realised just how deeply Yang Kai had hidden his strength. The Divine Sense attack he had just used was resolved by the other party with ease, demonstrating just how strong he was.

This made the stern-faced man re-examine Yang Kai, trying to see if he had hidden his cultivation realm.