Martial Peak
chapter-5121

The Squad members bid each other goodbye before returning to their residences to rest.

Generally speaking, after such a large-scale battle, no major skirmishes would break out for the next 10 to 15 days. So, nothing major should happen in the next half month.

Yang Kai had been living with Qing Kui ever since he returned from the Black Ink Clan’s territory, so he naturally left with him.

But after taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped and looked towards a certain direction, where a familiar figure caught his attention.

“What are you looking at?” Qing Kui also stopped and curiously asked.

“You go first, I’ll be right back,” Yang Kai replied before heading in that direction.

Soon, Qing Kui saw Yang Kai stop a person and start chatting with him with a smile. He couldn’t help but ask Su Ying Xue in a low voice, “Junior Sister, is Yang Kai close to someone else other than us here?”

Su Ying Xue shook her head, a look of exhaustion taking over her face, “It’s fine as long as it’s not a woman, why worry?”

Qing Kui nodded lightly, “I guess, you’re right.”

The two of them casually chatted before quickly leaving.

On the other side, the cultivator who was stopped by Yang Kai wore a gloomy expression, “You’re mistaking me for someone else.”

Yang Kai continued with a smile, “Divine Monarch’s noble bearing is still the same, how can I mistake you for someone else?”

The man glared at him, “I’m only a Seventh-Order Master, how could I dare call myself a Divine Monarch?”

Yang Kai replied, “With Divine Monarch’s aptitude, it’s only a matter of time before you reach the Eighth Order. The Seventh Order is just a temporary stopover, so why should Divine Monarch act so humbly?”

“What do you want?” The man grew impatient.

Yang Kai replied, “Nothing, it’s just I was pleasantly surprised to run into a familiar face. I came to chat with the Divine Monarch to talk about old times, that’s all.”

The man immediately flew into a rage, “There is only enmity between you and me, what’s there even to talk about!?”

Yang Kai countered with a smile, “So Divine Monarch admits that you know me?”

The man’s face went black as he grit his teeth and asked, “What exactly do you want?”

Yang Kai replied with a sigh, “I really don’t want anything. It’s just that when I spotted Divine Monarch’s figure, I couldn’t believe it and came here to confirm I wasn’t seeing things. I didn’t expect that Divine Monarch would also be here.”

“Isn’t this all because of you?!” The other party gnashed his teeth, as if he had an irreconcilable grudge with Yang Kai.

Yang Kai innocently stated, “I don’t remember doing anything to Divine Monarch. The one who captured you back then was Senior Fisherman from Bright King Cave Heaven.”

The man waved off, stating, “Don’t call me Divine Monarch anymore, I’m only a Seventh-Order Master now. Others will laugh at you if you keep calling me that.”

“Then… Brother Blood Crow?” Yang Kai slightly raised his brow.

The person in front of him was none other than the Black Crow Divine Monarch he had met in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven centuries ago. After cultivating the Great Evolution Indestructible Blood Light Scripture, Black Crow seized the body of a Great Thousand Blood Land disciple named Zhou Yi and escaped from the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. Afterwards, he hid in the Shattered Heaven and committed all sorts of crimes, leaving a bloodbath in his wake, causing many disciples from the Cave Heavens and Paradises to be killed or injured.

As he already possessed the foundation of an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master and had obtained the Great Evolution Indestructible Blood Light Scripture, his cultivation rapidly rose. Even his strength had also exceeded his own Order.

To a certain extent, the Great Evolution Indestructible Blood Light Scripture was similar to Wu Kuang’s Heaven Devouring Battle Law. Both used external forces for their own gain, but in comparison, the Great Evolution Indestructible Blood Light Scripture only consumed Blood Essence, while Wu Kuang’s Heaven Devouring Battle Law could devour anything. Which was superior was obvious.

In the past, Yang Kai had been curious about who would devour whom if Wu Kuang were to meet with Blood Crow; however, this was only a thought experiment as these two had never met.

When he was hiding in the Shattered Heaven, Black Crow had changed his name to Blood Crow.

Yang Kai had fought with him several times before in the Blood Monster Cave Heaven. If Yang Kai hadn’t ruined his plans, he would have closed the Blood Monster Cave Heaven long ago, and everyone who had entered at the time to train would have become his food and nourishment for his growth. The Blood Monster Cave Heaven also had various resources left behind by its previous Master over his lifetime. Once Blood Crow absorbed all of these resources, he might be able to reappear in the world as a Divine Monarch.

By then, even the Cave Heavens and Paradises might not be able to do anything to him.

Later, Yang Kai once again encountered him and fought him in the Shattered Heaven. At that time, Yang Kai was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, the same as Blood Crow.

Relying on his superior Eighth-Order foundation and knowledge, Blood Crow hadn’t taken Yang Kai seriously and wanted to take him down in one fell swoop. However, Yang Kai’s Cow Punch had made him greatly suffer.

In the end, Blood Crow was captured by an Elder from Bright King Cave Heaven.

Afterwards, Yang Kai ventured into the depths of the Shattered Heaven, where he encountered Xia Lin Lang, and obtained the World Spring by chance. Later, Cheng Yang chased him until he entered the Divine Spirit Ancestral Land.

Since then, Yang Kai had not heard any news about Blood Crow and presumed he had been imprisoned in Bright King Cave Heaven, unable to free himself.

Therefore, Yang Kai was extremely surprised to see Blood Crow in Yin-Yang Pass. In a place like the Black Ink Battlefield, all battles were against the Black Ink Clan and past grievances between people had long been forgotten.

Yang Kai would never have been so calm and cordial if he had encountered Blood Crow in the 3,000 Worlds. He would have immediately thought that he had escaped from Bright King Heaven and was about to commit something atrocious again.

But it was different here. Every Human on the Black Ink Battlefield was a comrade they could fight side by side with and depend on.

It could be said that Yang Kai didn’t have any great enmity towards Blood Crow, and this was something Blood Crow could clearly feel; however, considering what had happened to him, Blood Crow definitely held some resentment towards him.

All of this was because Yang Kai had ruined his grand plan in Blood Monster Cave Heaven.

Seeing him remain silent, Yang Kai asked, “Brother Blood Crow, why did you come to the Black Ink Battlefield?”

Blood Crow angrily snapped, “What? Can’t I come here?”

Yang Kai patted him on the shoulder, “Calm down, let’s talk things out. The Black Ink Battlefield is a dangerous place after all.”

Blood Crow stepped aside and coldly snorted, rebuking, “Do you think I wanted to come to this damned place? Do you think I had a choice? Between being imprisoned in a dark and damp cell forever and coming to the Black Ink Battlefield to fight the Black Ink Clan, which one would you choose?”

Yang Kai finally understood after hearing this.

Blood Crow was a Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, and with an Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm foundation at that. He had quite a good chance of breaking through to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm in the future. With such potential and strength, instead of leaving him to rot in prison, it would be better to send Blood Crow here to kill the enemy. It was obvious that Bright King Heaven had such considerations before sending Blood Crow here.

No matter how twisted Blood Crow’s temperament was, it was impossible for him to have any treacherous thoughts in a place like this, unless he was willing to be corrupted and become a Black Ink Disciple.

However, Black Ink Disciples had their minds warped by Black Ink Strength and essentially became slaves, so if he really got corrupted by Black Ink Strength, he would no longer be himself, an intolerable fate for almost anyone.

“Brother Blood Crow, you’ve had it hard,” Yang Kai sympathized.

“All thanks to you!” Blood Crow became extremely annoyed.

Yang Kai chuckled, “Now you can finally act openly, it’s better than sneaking around and hiding.”

Blood Crow snorted and glanced at him, “I didn’t expect you to also reach the Seventh Order so quickly.”

“I was just lucky!” Yang Kai smiled, “It can’t compare to Brother Blood Crow’s deep foundation.”

“Don’t even think about it, this King has a belly full of rage whenever I see you!” Blood Crow snorted before flicking his sleeve and leaving.

Yang Kai stroked his chin as a pondering look appeared on his face, watching him leave.

At this moment, a figure suddenly landed beside him. It was Tang Qiu.

Yang Kai greeted him with a bow, “Senior!”

“Follow me!” As Tang Qiu spoke, he mobilised his strength and wrapped Yang Kai in it before quickly disappearing.

Soon, they arrived at the Marketplace, but the bustling scene Yang Kai had first seen was now completely deserted. There was not a single person in sight.

After giving it a thought, he did not find it strange either. The Marketplace was crowded in the past because there had been no ongoing battles. Now that the Black Ink Clan had surrounded Yin-Yang Pass and they were all busy fighting, who would they come here?

Nonetheless, it wasn’t as if there wasn’t anyone here. At Lin’s Steamed Bun Restaurant, a small figure was sitting at a table while supporting her chin with one hand while playing with her hair with the other. She looked extremely bored.

Spotting the figure, Yang Kai promptly stepped forward and bowed, “Old Ancestor!”

Ever since he had escorted the Old Ancestor back, he had been fighting against the Black Ink Clan and had not seen her again. He had no idea why Tang Qiu had brought him here.

“En,” The Old Ancestor lightly nodded before stretching out her hand, “Sit.”

Yang Kai was just about to sit down when he suddenly felt a sharp gaze on his back. Looking back, he saw Tang Qiu glaring at him and immediately straightened up, “Junior wouldn’t dare! What can I do for the Old Ancestor?”

The Old Ancestor glanced at Tang Qiu but didn’t say anything. Rather she just asked Yang Kai, “Do you know why this Marketplace exists in Yin-Yang Pass?”

Yang Kai pondered for a moment after hearing her question. Although he had some ideas, he didn’t dare to say them out loud and could only shake his head, “Junior doesn’t know.”

The Old Ancestor asked with a smile, “Do you think the Marketplace was built just for me to have fun?”

Having been seen through, Yang Kai could only brace himself and agree, “Yes!”

The Old Ancestor admitted, nodding, “You’re right, this Marketplace was built for me to play around in, but it’s nothing so simple as a way to pass the time. There are circumstances that necessitate it.”

Yang Kai asked, confused, “Please enlighten me, Old Ancestor.”

The Old Ancestor stood up and slowly walked to the door, staring at the empty street, “The reason why the Human Race can hold on for so long is firstly because of these Great Passes, and secondly because of the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters, who can contend with the Black Ink Clan’s Royal Lords. You are now a Seventh-Order Master, so you should also know the importance of top-tier combat power in the huge battlefield of the two Races.”

Yang Kai earnestly nodded his agreement, “Indeed.”

The Old Ancestor continued, “To put it bluntly, the Ninth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters like me are the key to ensuring the safety of the Great Passes to a certain extent.”

Yang Kai listened attentively.

The Old Ancestor continued, “I cultivate a Secret Art called the Samsara Art, and my cultivation improves every time I undergo a cycle of re-birth. As a result, if I am seriously wounded, I become like this. It may seem like my cultivation has been completely destroyed, but in truth, this is simply a cycle of reincarnation to me. However, because of the Samsara Art, the method I use to heal my injuries is different from others. This Marketplace was built for me, and is related to the Secret Art I cultivate. This is where I heal my injuries.”