Martial Peak
chapter-4869

“What do you want me to do?” Yang Kai asked.

“Go turn more people into our companions.” There was a faint smile on Luan Bai Feng’s face, “There are a lot of people in Black Territory now. They are the sustenance that Master will need when he awakens, so we can’t miss this chance.”

Yang Kai replied respectfully, “It is my honour to aid Master.”

“Go now. I’ll be waiting,” Luan Bai Feng waved her hand.

It was then Yang Kai dashed towards the Black Territory’s Inner Region while pondering on how he should deal with this situation as a Black Ink Disciple.

The powerful cultivators from the Cave Heavens and Paradises hadn’t arrived yet, so he had to make sure that Luan Bai Feng wouldn’t be alerted; however, her request to make him turn more people into companions put him in a tight spot.

There was indeed some Black Ink Essence in his body that could be used to transform people into Black Ink Disciples, and he had done just that to Yuan Tong Guang previously.

Nevertheless, he had no choice but to do so at that time as Luan Bai Feng was watching him.

Now that Luan Bai Feng asked him to do it again, Yang Kai definitely wouldn’t want to oblige. Nonetheless, if he never made a move, his inaction would be exposed sooner or later. How was he going to explain himself to her by then?

Another thing that concerned him was the Black Ink Clansman trapped in the depths of the Black Prison.

In the past, Yang Kai performed a sacrificial offering and summoned the great Will in an attempt to find out the other party’s hiding place, but his attempt turned out to be a failure. However, he had clearly felt the consciousness’ presence and prowess. Similarly, the other party must have detected his presence as well.

If the owner of the consciousness was a Black Ink Clansman trapped in the Black Prison, he would be in a perilous situation.

Due to a long period of imprisonment, the Black Ink Clansman in the depths of the Black Prison was in a deep sleep, but when they awakened, they might notice his presence.

When that time came, his identity would instantly be exposed.

Hence, Yang Kai believed that it was just a matter of time before his identity was compromised. It was a race against time.

If the Masters from the Cave Heavens and Paradises could arrive before he was exposed things would be fine. However, if they couldn’t achieve that, he would be in danger.

While his emotions undulated in his heart, he headed to Ore Star 16.

The moment he descended from the sky, the cultivators on Ore Star 16 noticed his presence. Soon, the old man surnamed Yu, Yuan Tong Guang, and the others came over and saluted him, “Greetings, Sect Master Yang!”

Yang Kai nodded, “I’m just looking around. Tend to your own business.”

All of them replied, “Yes.”

Yuan Tong Guang and the others scattered and continued mining.

Yang Kai decided to stay on Ore Star 16 for now. Although he was at risk of having his identity brought to light, he wasn’t willing to turn more people into Black Ink Disciples. He could only pray that the Cave Heavens and Paradises would arrive sooner.

After making some calculations, he realised that it had only been one to two months since Luo Ting He and the others left. Regardless of how quickly they were, help must still be on the way to this place.

Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened in the next half a month. While Yuan Tong Guang and the others focused on extracting materials, Luan Bai Feng didn’t have the intention of looking for him. This allowed Yang Kai to have some peaceful days.

However, he soon discovered something that made him feel speechless.

There were a total of thirteen Open Heaven Realm Masters who were extracting materials on Ore Star 16 now. The most powerful one was the old man surnamed Yu, who was riding a Blue-Eyed Toad. He was in the Fifth-Order while the rest were in the Third-Order and Fourth-Order Open Heaven Realm.

All thirteen Open Heaven Realm Masters had been transformed into Black Ink Disciples.

It seemed that Luan Bai Feng had already made a move prior to this.

Yuan Tong Guang was transformed into a Black Ink Disciple by Yang Kai, after which he returned to Ore Star 16. With his cooperation, Luan Bai Feng could easily subdue the Open Heaven Realm Masters in this place.

It wouldn’t have mattered if everything ended there, but twenty days after Yang Kai arrived at Ore Star 16, Yuan Tong Guang and the others, who were extracting materials, suddenly gathered together.

Upon noticing it, Yang Kai decided to observe them despite not knowing what was going on.

He didn’t hide his figure. Even though the Black Ink Disciples were aware of his presence, they didn’t say anything.

With Yuan Tong Guang in the lead, they took off their Space Rings and passed them to the old man surnamed Yu. The latter silently took the rings with a solemn expression.

“You’ll keep these rings,” Yuan Tong Guang gazed at the old man surnamed Yu and said.

The older man nodded, “Don’t worry. You all go on ahead. This Old Master will join you soon.”

Yuan Tong Guang and the others pressed their hands against their chests, “Black Ink Eternal.”

The old man surnamed Yu replied, “Black Ink Eternal.”

The next instant, twelve Open Heaven Realm Masters shot into the sky and turned into rays of light.

Yang Kai sported a dark expression as he had a speculation about what was going on. He sauntered towards the old man surnamed Yu and stood beside him before looking in the direction Yuan Tong Guang and the others had left.

“Before Black Ink, all are ants,” the old man surnamed Yu suddenly said. There was a longing expression on his face, as though he was eager to run after Yuan Tong Guang and the others, “They will soon be one with Master and live eternally. This is an honour we all crave.”

Yang Kai’s speculation was instantly proven right.

There was something he was curious about though.

“Who gave you the order?” He asked.

The old man surnamed Yu shook his head, “No one ordered us to do anything. As long as Master has a need, we are ready to sacrifice ourselves. It could be me next time, or even you.”

Yang Kai frowned. [Could the Black Ink Disciples sense the Black Ink Clansman’s need? Is that why they would proactively sacrifice themselves?]

However, Yang Kai didn’t have time to ponder on it. He had been waiting for a long time, and didn’t want to expose himself so soon, but things had come to a point where he had no choice but to make a move.

First of all, he was the one who transformed Yuan Tong Guang into a Black Ink Disciple. If the latter killed himself because of that, Yang Kai would be the murderer. It wasn’t that he had never killed anyone before, but the ones he had slain were all enemies he could not reconcile with. Yang Kai had never killed an innocent before, so he wasn’t willing to see Yuan Tong Guang die.

Secondly, the Black Ink Clansman trapped in the depths of the Black Prison lived on World Force. By intercepting Yuan Tong Guang and the others, Yang Kai could stop the Black Ink Clansman from restoring himself.

The old man surnamed Yu became alerted as he gazed at Yang Kai, “Didn’t you sense it?”

Yang Kai flashed a smile at him, revealing his snow-white teeth. While the old man surnamed Yu was confused, the illusory phantom of a Small Universe appeared behind Yang Kai and swallowed the old man up like an Ominous Beast.

The Small Universes of High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters had materialised, so they could accommodate living creatures, including Open Heaven Realm Masters of lower Orders.

Even though Yang Kai wasn’t a High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Master yet, his Small Universe had already materialised. As a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, he was able to keep the old man surnamed Yu, who was a Fifth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, inside his Small Universe as long as he could unleash a burst of force that the other party couldn’t resist. With that said, there would be a risk Yang Kai had to bear for keeping the other party inside his Small Universe.

This wasn’t really an issue for Yang Kai though.

He was nearly on par with a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master now, so before the old man surnamed Yu had time to react, he was subdued and transferred into Yang Kai’s Small Universe. The next instant, he was engulfed in a restrictive power and became rooted to the spot, as though he had been struck with a Binding Secret Technique. He couldn’t even move a muscle.

In Seven Stars Sect, Xu Yi was feeding the golden carp that had obtained a Dragon Vein after drinking Yang Kai’s Dragon Blood when all of a sudden, the world around him started spinning. When he recovered, he realised that he was in an unfamiliar place.

There was a short and wrinkled old man who appeared bound in place there.

Beside the old man stood a Blue-Eyed Toad that was as tall as a three-storey building. A gurgling sound was heard coming from its throat, and the pustules on its figure exuded a poisonous aura.

Xu Yi was dumbstruck at the sight.

He felt an unimaginable energy fluctuation coming from the old man and the Blue-Eyed Toad. In the past, he thought that Emperor Realm Masters were the most powerful cultivators in the world, but even they seemed insignificant compared to the pair before his eyes.

He had only felt the same kind of formidable aura from his Honoured Master before.

Before he could figure out what was going on, Xu Yi heard his Honoured Master speaking to him, “Keep an eye on him. Call out to me immediately if anything happens!”

“Yes!” Xu Yi quickly replied. He no longer felt flustered upon hearing his Honoured Master’s voice. With his Honoured Master around, he wouldn’t have to fear anything.

Meanwhile, Yang Kai had already manipulated Space Principles to chase after the group which had just left.

A moment later, he saw Yuan Tong Guang and the others and directly hastened his pace to intercept them.

These Black Ink Disciple appeared startled and Yuan Tong Guang took the initiative to ask, “What’s wrong, Sect Master Yang?”

“Nothing. I’m just here to save your lives,” Yang Kai replied impassively. The next moment, he crashed into these Black Ink Disciples as his Small Universe expanded and engulfed all of them.

On the other hand, Xu Yi was staring fixedly at the old man surnamed Yu. Upon realising that the old man really couldn’t move a muscle, he shifted his attention to the Blue-Eyed Toad. He had never seen such a hideous-looking Monster Beast before. The golden carp he was told to take care of was much more pleasing to the eye than this Blue-Eyed Toad.

Just then, he caught a glimpse of several people appearing abruptly, and just like the short old man, they were all immobile.

Xu Yi quickly stayed further away from them as he wondered what his Honoured Master was doing.

It was apparent that his Honoured Master had captured and rendered them immovable, but what was his reason for doing so?

In the past, Yang Kai wouldn’t have spared the lives of Black Ink Disciples.

When someone was invaded by the Black Ink Strength, there was no way they could be saved. That was the firm belief those from Lang Ya Paradise had instilled in him.

That was what those from Lang Ya Paradise did as well. Those Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, who had exceptional aptitudes and held important positions in Lang Ya Paradise, were all killed. Even Gu Ling’er, who was popular among the disciples and Elders alike, was not spared.

Yuan Du and all other Black Ink Disciples were condemned to death the moment they were discovered.

However, Yang Kai wanted to save these Black Ink Disciples now. At the same time, he had to verify a speculation he had.

A cultivator’s temperament would change drastically after they were turned into a Black Ink Disciple, but that wasn’t their true selves.

If his speculation was proven right, it would mean that it wasn’t impossible to save these Black Ink Disciples. That would be good news for the entire universe.