Martial Peak
chapter-4895

There was no other fate apart from these two, the only thing waiting after crossing the No-Return Pass was death.

Yang Kai slightly furrowed his brow, [I get it that we can die at the hands of the Black Ink Clan in that unknown battlefield, but dying at the hands of my fellow comrades…]

However, when he saw the situation on the battlefield, he instantly came to an understanding.

In that place, it would be a common occurrence to be turned into a Black Ink Disciple. Their fellow disciples would surely not show any mercy against Black Ink Disciples.

Nonetheless, Yang Kai still failed to understand, “No one can survive? Really?”

“On that battlefield, death is only a matter of time. The statement ‘once you cross the No-Return Pass’ is not mere rhetoric. It has been hundreds of thousands of years since the establishment of the No-Return Pass, but in all these years, there has never been a precedent for anyone coming back after stepping through. This is why the Cave Heavens and Paradises need to cultivate a large number of talents in order to constantly invest manpower into that battlefield.”

Yang Kai fell silent for a moment before asking in a low voice, “Yin-Yang Cave Heaven’s Xu Ling Gong went to that battlefield?”

The Eighth-Order Ancestor replied, shaking his head, “This Old Master has been in seclusion for many years and doesn’t know any Xu Ling Gong. However, a group of Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples did cross the No-Return Pass several hundred years ago.”

He finally had an answer to his doubts.

Yang Kai always found it very strange when he failed to spot Xu Ling Gong in Yin-Yang Cave Heaven; after all, when Qu Hua Shang’s 100-year confinement ended, there was no reason for Xu Ling Gong to not appear.

The answer Yin-Yang Cave Heaven had given was that Xu Ling Gong was carrying out a mission for the Sect, but by the looks of it, he had left the 3,000 Worlds with other Yin-Yang Cave Heaven disciples when they parted ways at the Star Boundary.

Qing Kui and Su Ying Xue must have gone with their Honoured Master.

“Although no one has ever returned from the No-Return Pass, sometimes information can still be relayed when the passage is opened. The Cave Heavens and Paradises’ information on the Black Ink Clan comes from that side.”

“The Black Ink Royal Lords might be as strong as Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, but if that was all it was, we wouldn’t have to worry so much about this situation. Her strength has greatly diminished after being imprisoned for so many years, so it wouldn’t have been difficult for the Cave Heavens and Paradises to deal with her with our remaining heritage, it is just that we would need to pay a price to do so. There is only one thing that we were concerned about. The Black Ink Royal Lords have a Secret Technique that even Eighth-Order Masters like us can’t resist. Once we are hit by it, we will instantly transform into Black Ink Disciples and become loyal slaves to her.”

These pieces of information were sent back through the No-Return Pass and came at a price of countless years of sacrifice.

This was the situation Yang Kai saw.

The Royal Lord used her Royal Lord Secret Technique, instantly converting five Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters into Black Ink Disciples, throwing the rest into a panic. Furthermore, no one knew if there were any other Black Ink Disciples hiding apart from these five.

Be that as it may, everyone had already anticipated this situation, which was why others had immediately come to Yang Kai’s rescue when the Luo Sheng Heaven Eighth-Order Ancestor attacked him.

The current situation was something they had to bear during the course of this battle until now.

“She has reached the end of her rope!” The Eighth-Order Ancestor standing next to Yang Kai let out a sigh of relief, as if a heavy stone had been lifted off his heart and he could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

According to the information they had obtained, a Royal Lord would never use this Secret Technique unless they were absolutely forced to. Because although this Secret Technique was incomparably profound, it consumed a great deal of the Royal Lord’s strength. It was the kind of Secret Technique that was used in a do-or-die kind of situation.

Now that she had to resort to it, it meant she was on her last leg.

Yang Kai looked up at the Black Ink Royal Lord and could tell that her aura was extremely weak. Her vast Will that had been filling the void previously was almost gone.

Yang Kai was filled with profound respect.

The Cave Heavens and Paradises Eighth-Order Ancestors had already anticipated this situation before participating in the battle. All of them were mentally prepared to be transformed into Black Ink Disciples. They knew that in order to have any hope of winning, they would have to force the Royal Lord to use her Secret Technique.

No one knew if they would be the ones to be turned into Black Ink Disciples, but everyone was prepared to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the 3,000 Worlds’ survival.

Secret Techniques and Divine Abilities flashed one after another as the wanton blasts of World Force crushed and warped space. While Yang Kai and the Eighth-Order Ancestor were talking, the five corrupted Eighth-Order Masters had been completely surrounded. Their close allies had turned into their enemies, pointing their weapons at them and ruthlessly attacking without mercy.

They couldn’t show any hesitation. Unlike the corrupted Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, who the Eighth-Order Ancestors could subdue and deliver to Yang Kai, allowing him to use the Purifying Light to free them, the Eighth-Order Ancestors had profound cultivations, so trying to capture them alive was too dangerous. The only way to deal with them was to kill them!

All of them had been mentally prepared for this very scenario.

The five corrupted Masters gathered around and attacked left and right, displaying their respective Divine Manifestations and confronting the rest of the Masters.

Suddenly, a fountain of blood flew into the void. Someone was finally injured. One of the five old men staggered as one of his arms flew into the air. But before he could regain his footing, another two powerful Secret Techniques struck him.

It was unknown which Cave Heaven or Paradise this old man belonged to, but his cultivation was quite profound. He did not fall even after suffering such a serious injury, though he did cut a sorry figure, covered in blood.

It appeared as if he couldn’t feel any pain. Suddenly, Yang Kai’s expression became stiff. His figure flickered as he promptly retreated. An extremely dangerous aura was radiating from the injured old man.

This was a sign of self-destruction.

Everyone quickly dispersed at the sight of this.

The self-destruction of a Small Universe might not be able to deter the Eighth-Order Ancestors, but Black Ink Disciple’s self-destruction could not be ignored. Once he self-destructed, the Black Ink Strength in his Small Universe would disseminate, and that posed quite a threat to them.

The next moment, a shockwave shook the void as the old man’s Small Universe collapsed. Spirit Provinces enveloped with a thick ink-like energy manifested, chasing after the fleeing crowd like a tsunami, trying to envelop them.

Fortunately, no one was affected by the Black Ink Strength.

But by the time they turned to look back, the other four Eighth-Order Black Ink Disciples had all rushed to the side of the Black Ink Royal Lord.

The fierce battle had left them covered in wounds, but their expressions were firm and their eyes filled with determination. It was as if they were the most devoted of believers, protecting their God. Even if the world were to collapse, they would never allow outsiders to harm the Royal Lord.

The Eighth-Order Masters who still had their clarity were filled with grief. Although they were mentally prepared when they were forced to kill their own comrades, even their calm and tranquil state of mind was affected.

The Black Ink Royal Lord’s weakness was quite obvious. It was as if she didn’t even have the strength to stand up straight. Her giant spider-like body lay motionless, staring at everyone with incomparable hatred.

*Shua shua shua…*

One after another, figures rushed over from the periphery. Hundreds of Eighth-Order and Seventh-Order Masters rushed in, forming a giant encirclement around the Black Ink Master.

This time, it was impossible for her to survive.

Yang Kai turned around and noticed Lan You Ruo in the crowd.

Her face was slightly pale and her clothes were stained in blood, but she looked like she was otherwise alright. This put his mind at ease.

Even when she was in such a dangerous situation, the Black Ink Royal Lord gently smiled, her voice still as pleasant as ever, “Do you think you’ve won?”

No one answered her. Hundreds of pairs of eyes stared at her coldly, each one was filled with burning hatred.

Although the battle with her had not lasted too long, every Cave Heaven and Paradise had suffered heavy casualties. Even Eighth-Order Ancestors had fallen in this battle, something that had not happened in countless years.

Be that as it may, it was a small price to pay to kill a Black Ink Royal Lord.

After all, she was someone as strong as a Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master. If it weren’t for the fact that she had been imprisoned for countless years, causing her strength to drastically fall, they wouldn’t have been able to do anything to her no matter how many people they had gathered.

“If you want to kill me, then get on with it!” The Black Ink Master suddenly screamed, “Let’s see if you can still laugh after I die!”

Although she said so, she obviously didn’t intend to sit back and let herself be killed.

An Eight-Order Black Ink Disciple, who was guarding her, suddenly moved towards her and raised his arm, standing in front of her.

The Black Ink Master opened her mouth and bit off the Eighth-Order Ancestor’s arm as her cherry lips transformed into a giant, hideous mouth. Blood dripped from her mouth as she chewed a few times before swallowing.

The next moment, her weakened aura quickly started to recover.

She opened her mouth again and bit off half of the Eighth-Order Ancestor chest.

“Martial Uncle!” The eyes of some Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters in the crowd cracked wide open and turned bloodshot. The Eighth Order who was being eaten alive by the Black Ink Master was an Ancestor of his Sect.

“Kill!” An angry shout rang out from the crowd. No one knew which Ancestor had given the order.

The consumption of the Royal Lord’s Secret Technique was enormous, and they had paid such a heavy price to force her to use it. They could not give her any chance to recover.

The Black Ink Master was extremely fast. She had eaten the entire Eighth-Order Master in just a few bites, allowing her to recover a bit.

Secret Techniques and Divine Abilities flew at the Black Ink Master in the next instant, leaving long dazzling trails in the void, drowning her instantly.

The remaining three Eighth-Order Black Ink Disciples used their Divine Manifestations, protecting the Royal Lord, but they were swiftly overwhelmed by the endless barrage.

Before the first wave of attacks even subsided, a second wave was launched.

A moment later, three consecutive fluctuations of Small Universes collapsing spread out.

The three Eighth-Order Black Ink Disciples had fallen. They had no intention of escaping, and only death awaited them in the face of such overwhelming attacks.

Everyone’s attacks became more ruthless, as if they wanted to vent all their anger and frustrations.

A miserable scream came from the Black Ink Master. Although she had eaten the flesh and blood of an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master to regain some of her strength, it was far from enough for her to use her Royal Lord Secret Technique again.

The only fate that awaited her was death.

The dazzling flashes gradually ceased as the shockwaves from the previous attacks spread out. Everyone looked at the Black Ink Master and saw that her entire body was covered in wounds. Her pretty face was mangled and a few of her long spider legs were blasted away.

However, she was still alive. Her massive body was lying in place as she glared at everyone around her with eyes filled with hatred.