Martial Peak
chapter-5712

Although there were many Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters present, not many of them had cultivated the Dao of Space. In terms of attainment in the Dao of Space, Zhao Ye Bai was undoubtedly the best.

Not even Su Yan and Liu Yan, both of whom had Phoenix Clan Sources, could compete with Zhao Ye Bai in this regard. Neither of them was of orthodox Phoenix Clan origin after all. Although they had Phoenix Clan Sources and even cultivated in the Phoenix Nest for some time, their compatibility with the Grand Dao of Space could not compare to Zhao Ye Bai, who was blessed with natural talent and trained from young.

Others might not be able to detect the distortion in the Universe Furnace’s illusory phantom with careful observation, but Zhao Ye Bai could perceive the truth at a glance. More importantly, he had made his point clear. There was no reason for Yang Xiao to distrust those words, so he immediately nodded in understanding and adopted a prudent demeanour, “This Senior Brother understands!”

Afterwards, he suddenly heard Fu Guang speaking to the crowd, “The Universe Furnace will soon manifest. It will represent a great opportunity for all of you. Seeing as the Suppressing Black Ink Army is not involved in any fighting at the moment, I will allow 50 of you to enter the Universe Furnace to explore. Once the entrance to the Universe Furnace is fully formed, you may enter immediately. As for how the quota should be distributed, you may discuss and decide among yourselves.”

50 spots out of 400 plus Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters might not seem like much, but it was actually the absolute limit. The Suppressing Black Ink Army might be at peace for now, but nobody could guarantee when the Black Ink Clan might suddenly launch an attack. The overall strength of the Suppressing Black Ink Army would be affected if too many Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters left for the Universe Furnace, which would place them at a disadvantage against the Black Ink Clan’s assault. Therefore, after taking everything into consideration, only 50 Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters could be allowed to leave.

As for the exact candidates to be sent into the Universe Furnace, it was not Fu Guang’s place to decide. In the end, the decision could only be left to the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters to discuss and negotiate among themselves. Such an opportunity was something anybody would want to obtain after all. He could only hope that the Eighth-Order Open Heaven Realm Masters would not ruin their comradery with each other over the competition to obtain this opportunity.

…..

In the depths of the Black Ink Battlefield.

Due to the sudden turmoil all around the Universe, a momentary lapse in strength caused Yang Kai to be struck by Mo Na Ye’s assault. His condition had gotten significantly worse as a result. He did not understand the phenomenon earlier; after all, he had a World Tree Clone sealing and stabilizing his Small Universe. How could he be affected by some inexplicable phenomenon which ultimately resulted in his difficult situation right now?

Despite coughing up blood, Yang Kai swiftly flew through the void. He was tracing the vague feeling in his heart, which steered him back along his original path. Even now, he did not know the cause of that mysterious calling. He had initially suspected that it was part of the Black Ink Clan’s trap, but he quickly realised upon careful consideration.

If the Black Ink Clan had such ability, they would have drawn him out with this method in the first place. They would never have allowed him to intercept and hunt down so many Innate Territory Lords, much less be forced to set an ambush and wait for him to fall into their encirclement. Therefore, this phenomenon was clearly not part of the Black Ink Clan’s machinations.

If it was not part of the Black Ink Clan’s schemes though, what did he feel earlier? At a time when his life was hanging by a thread, Yang Kai normally would not have paid any attention to such an inexplicable phenomenon; however, he had a hunch that he might have found the opportunity he needed to overcome his current crisis! That was why he only hesitated for a moment before he unswervingly headed in the direction he was seemingly being summoned.

During this period, he was struck by Mo Na Ye’s long-distance attacks on several occasions. The impact caused stars to appear in his vision and his figure to stagger unsteadily. He felt as though he was at the end of his rope.

Seeming to realise Yang Kai’s current condition, Mo Na Ye doggedly gave chase. His attacks did not ease up in the slightest and instead became fiercer and fiercer; after all, he was well aware of the principle that ‘a long night brings many dreams’.

Against an opponent like Yang Kai, he could not afford to slip up or provide any opportunities for the former to exploit. Otherwise, his previous efforts might all be for nought. Having gradually driven Yang Kai to a desperate situation, it was only a matter of time before Mo Na Ye caught up with and slaughtered his foe. Nevertheless, he became more and more cautious as the climax slowly approached.

His heart was filled with a sense of anticipation. After confronting each other for so many years, Mo Na Ye had always been forced to bear various humiliations. He had yielded to Yang Kai on countless occasions, which made his reputation plummet among the Black Ink Clan. The Territory Lords constantly criticized and ridiculed him, but he simply ignored them. That was because he knew that the Black Ink Clan would be the one to suffer if he did not surrender to Yang Kai on occasion.

All his efforts had been aimed at gaining more advantages for the Black Ink Clan. Compared to that, what was always being at a disadvantage in a confrontation against Yang Kai? So what if his reputation was terrible? So what if the Territory Lords constantly looked down on him? If he could return to the No-Return Pass with the glory of slaughtering Yang Kai, then all the humiliation he suffered before would be washed away immediately.

In any case, he was extremely relieved that Yang Kai was the only irregularity among the Human Race. He never wanted to encounter such a difficult opponent in his life again.

What delighted him even more was that the Royal Lord had always trusted in him and never interfered with his decision-making. Having such a generous leader was the biggest reason he could force Yang Kai into such a desperate situation today. The deaths of all those Innate Territory Lords would be honoured soon!

Although his heart pounded with excitement, Mo Na Ye did not reduce the intensity of his onslaught against Yang Kai.

Purifying Light covered Yang Kai and severed Mo Na Ye’s aura. Then, Space Principles began to fluctuate…

[Can you even escape?] Mo Na Ye sneered coldly. [It’s just the final and useless struggle of a cornered beast!]

The severed aura immediately exploded and shook the surrounding Void. Although Yang Kai successfully left via Instantaneous Movement, he did not manage to flee very far.

Mo Na Ye could instantly perceive Yang Kai’s position with a sweep of his Divine Sense, but just as he was about to give chase, he sensed something that made him scowl deeply. In addition to Yang Kai’s aura, he also sensed many auras belonging to the Innate Territory Lords up ahead.

[Why are they here?]

It was only at this moment that he abruptly realised Yang Kai had been leading him around in a wide circle. They had returned to the battlefield from before!

[Why are those Territory Lords still here?]

The pursuit had lasted for more than half a month, so it stood to reason that the Territory Lords should have returned to the No-Return Pass by now.

[These guys are heavily wounded! Why are they just loitering around!?] Mo Na Ye couldn’t help feeling extremely annoyed.

On the other side, Yang Kai reappeared from the Void and stared at the Innate Territory Lords in confusion. Not many Innate Territory Lords remained alive after the previous battle, less than 100 in total, all of whom were heavily injured, so he couldn’t help having the same doubts and questions as Mo Na Ye.

[Why are these guys still here?] However, Yang Kai soon figured out the reason. There was an enormous illusory phantom looming over a vast swath of the void. At first glance, the illusory phantom looked like… an Alchemy Furnace.

Be that as it may, the Alchemy Furnace seemed slightly different from the ordinary Alchemy Furnaces. Not only was the Alchemy Furnace gigantic, but the illusory surface was covered in various complicated runes and patterns. It felt as though the deepest and most profound truth of the Universe was contained within these markings.

A sense of insight and enlightenment subconsciously welled up inside Yang Kai when he glanced at the Alchemy Furnace. The patterns on its surface were also not static, but instead in a constant state of flow and flux. Moreover, he could clearly feel that the Alchemy Furnace was becoming increasingly solidified at an extremely slow speed.

[What is that?] Yang Kai frowned in puzzlement.

There had been no illusory phantom of the Alchemy Furnace in this place when he initially made his escape, so how did such a strange thing manage to appear here while he was wandering the void for half a month? Nevertheless, he was certain about one thing. The mysterious feeling in his heart was coming from this Alchemy Furnace! The inexplicable turmoil that shook his Small Universe was also caused by this Alchemy Furnace.

[What kind of Alchemy Furnace would have such a mysterious force?] Staring at the illusory phantom of the Alchemy Furnace in front of him, a flash of understanding swept through his mind as an existence that only appeared in rumours and legends instantly sprang to mind.

The Universe Furnace!

During the Late Ancient Era, 10 Martial Ancestors, including Cang, had used the power of the World Tree to gain enlightenment about the Open Heaven Realm Method. It was only after their success that the Human Race began to prosper. At the same time, they finally had the means to confront the Black Ink Clan. Thanks to the capital that allowed them to compete for supremacy in the world, the Human Race gradually became dominant in the vast Universe.

Unfortunately, the Open Heaven Realm Method was innately flawed. All cultivators who cultivated this method were limited by their inherent shackles, the peak of their Martial Dao set in stone the moment they reached this Realm. Nevertheless, nothing was absolute. There was bound to be a loophole somewhere, and the mysterious Universe Furnace was one of those loopholes.

The Universe Furnace bred Innate Open Heaven Pills. If a cultivator could obtain these Innate Open Heaven Pills, then they could break through their shackles and overcome the disadvantages brought about by the limitations of the Open Heaven Realm Method. Be that as it may, the Universe Furnace was a thing of legend and myth, its whereabouts rarely revealed throughout history.

Yang Kai’s understanding of the Universe Furnace was limited to some rumours he heard in the past. According to the rumours, the Universe Furnace was extremely elusive and impossible to locate. Furthermore, the Innate Open Heaven Pills had miraculous effects that could help a cultivator break through their inherent shackles.

All the information he knew was limited to the information accessible by the general public. The Universe Furnace seemed to be even more mysterious than the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary; therefore, he couldn’t help feeling stunned when he realised that the illusory phantom of the Alchemy Furnace belonged to the legendary Universe Furnace.

[I can’t believe the Universe Furnace appeared at this time and location!]

The first thought that sprang to mind was similar to the concerns that Mi Jing Lun had considered previously. This phenomenon might not be a good thing for the Human Race!

The emergence of the Universe Furnace would surely attract the attention of many Human Race Masters. Accordingly, the Black Ink Clan would resort to any means possible just to prevent the Humans from seizing this opportunity.

Up until now, the power accumulated by the Human Race was far from adequate. In stark contrast, the Black Ink Clan just experienced a huge leap in strength thanks to the influx of Innate Territory Lords and High-Rank Black Ink Nests. If the delicate balance that had been maintained for the past several thousand years was broken, the Human Race might not benefit from the outcome.

The second thought that sprang to mind was… that the Universe Furnace seemed a little different from what he had initially imagined. He had always thought the Universe Furnace as something similar to a Supreme Treasure like the Soul Warming Lotus. It would appear out of nowhere one day and exude a mysterious aura into the surroundings. When the time was right, the Innate Open Heaven Pills would fly out of the Universe Furnace and enter the possession of those who were lucky enough to seize them…

The Universe Furnace in front of him not only had the shape of an Alchemy Furnace, but it also exuded a mysterious aura; however, it was much too large. The Universe Furnace loomed over a massive region. Not to mention, it was obviously just an illusory image that was slowly solidifying over time.

[Could it be that the Universe Furnace will only appear once the illusory phantom completely turns solid? I wonder how long that will take.] There was no time for Yang Kai to ponder the mysteries of the Universe Furnace though as he soon noticed the distortion of the Void around it.

Even Zhao Ye Bai had seen through the strangeness of this phenomenon at a glance, so how could Yang Kai fail to notice it? The space around the Alchemy Furnace’s illusory phantom might seem normal on the surface, but the inside was extremely twisted and warped, constantly shifting and folding onto itself.

Yang Kai immediately became overjoyed. Even though he had been backed into a corner with no escape, a path had appeared before him in the end! His intuition proved correct. The opportunity to escape Mo Na Ye’s pursuit was right in front of him. His misery was caused by the Universe Furnace, but his salvation also came from the Universe Furnace. It was truly an object of both misfortune and joy.

The appearance of this mysterious object had shaken the very foundation of his Small Universe. As a result of the turmoil, he suffered a heavy blow from Mo Na Ye. Now, he was going to use this very object to escape his current crisis. The good and bad were even now.

With a single flash of thought, Yang Kai desperately drew upon his World Force. His Divine Sense surged wildly at the same time. The burst of his full force caused the entire surrounding void to become distorted. Like an Ominous Beast that was backed into a corner, he gritted his teeth and howled, “Mo Na Ye, if you want me dead, then I will slaughter those Territory Lords first!”

While saying so, he boldly rushed in the direction of the Innate Territory Lords and plunged directly into the illusory phantom’s space without the slightest hesitation.