Martial Peak

Translator: Silavin & PewPewLaserGun

Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys

With the Space Array outside the Flowing Flame Sand Field, Yang Kai easily reached High Heaven Sect’s headquarters.

When they appeared in the palace on the other side, several disciples on guard duty instantly assumed a defensive posture, but after seeing that it was Yang Kai, they became overjoyed and bowed quickly.

“Have Yang Yan and Elder Ye come back?” Yang Kai asked hurriedly.

“Reporting to Sect Master, Vice Sect Master Yang and Great Elder Ye returned five days ago,” A disciple who seemed brighter than the others replied quickly.

Yang Kai couldn’t help heaving a sigh of relief. Although he didn’t think Yang Yan or Ye Xi Yun would have encountered any problems, he had always been a bit on edge until he was able to confirm their condition. Now that he knew they had returned safely, Yang Kai was naturally able to put down his worries.

“However, when they returned, it seemed Vice Sect Master Yang had fallen into a coma and had to be carried by Great Elder Ye,” The disciple added carefully.

“What?” Yang Kai was shocked and quickly asked a few more questions; unfortunately, the disciples didn’t know what caused Yang Yan to fall unconscious or whether she had suffered any serious injuries.

“I understand, continue with your duties here,” Yang Kai had no choice but to leave this place and quickly head for Hundred Flowers Peak where Yang Yan lived before.

On the way there, they ran into Wu Yi and Qian Yue who had received word of Yang Kai’s return.

The anxiety on the faces of the two women was obvious, so they wasted no time calling out after seeing Yang Kai.

“I heard about the situation, do you know how Yang Yan was injured? Is it serious?” Yang Kai flew over to them and asked.

Both women shook their heads with Qian Yue explaining, “Since they returned, Great Elder has not appeared in front of anyone, so we were unable to learn anything more.”

“Understood, I’ll go see them myself.” Yang Kai frowned.

“They’re not on Hundred Flowers Peak now,” Wu Yi quickly stopped Yang Kai from flying off.

“Then where are they?” Yang Kai asked.

“The sixth layer…”

“Sixth layer!” Yang Kai frowned even more. Naturally, he understood what she was referring to when she said the sixth layer. It was the centre of the Flowing Flame Sand Field where the small bamboo forest and loft were situated. It was also the former residence of the Great Emperor on Shadowed Star, but why would Ye Xi Yun bring Yang Yan there? Could the Great Emperor really have awoken?

An uneasy feeling suddenly surged in Yang Kai’s heart.

Standing on the spot for a long while, Yang Kai finally took a deep breath and said, “I’ll go take a look. By the way, Wu Yi, you remember Foreign Elder Huang right? This time I met her by chance on the way back and invited her to join High Heaven Sect. She is now one of us so make the proper arrangements.”

“Yes!” Wu Yi nodded quickly. She obviously saw Huang Juan just now, but concerned about Yang Yan’s safety, she hadn’t found time to greet her yet. Now, after hearing Yang Kai’s instructions, she would naturally have a chance to do so.

In the next instant, Yang Kai’s figure flickered and disappeared, heading straight towards the sixth layer.

High Heaven Sect was located in the fourth layer of the Flowing Flame Sand Field, and was separated from the sixth layer by a Flame Area which was far more powerful than the outer fourth layer; however, Yang Kai had a Star Emperor Token to protect himself from these dangers so there was nothing for him to worry about.

It took only half a day for Yang Kai to arrive in front of the loft in the centre of the sixth layer.

As if knowing that Yang Kai would arrive sooner or later, Ye Xi Yun was already waiting for him. After seeing Yang Kai, a complex look flashed across her beautiful eyes before she said, “Subordinate greets Sect Master.”

“Is Yang Yan inside?” Yang Kai asked as he walked inward.

Before he could go far though, Ye Xi Yun actually moved and blocked Yang Kai’s path forward, as if trying to stop him from entering the loft.

“What are your intentions here?” Yang Kai narrowed his eyes, staring deeply at Ye Xi Yun with a somewhat gloomy look upon his face.

“Please forgive me, Sect Master, but Madam gave me strict instructions to not allow anyone to see her now,” Ye Xi Yun replied while maintaining a tranquil expression.

“Not even me?” Yang Kai frowned.

“Yes!” Ye Xi Yun nodded slightly, “Subordinate is only executing Madam’s orders and requests Sect Master not to embarrass me.”

“Embarrass you?” Yang Kai failed to stifle his laughter, “Interesting… I simply want to see her, how could that embarrass you? It’s not that I’ve never met with her before.”

“Sect Master, please forgive me!” Ye Xi Yun stubbornly refused to back down.

Yang Kai frowned as he stared at her indifferently for a moment before asking in a solemn tone, “Since Yang Yan was able to give you such an order, can I assume she is unharmed? If that’s the case, why did the disciples on guard duty say she was in a coma when she returned with you?”

“En, Madam is indeed in a coma, but she is unharmed. It’s just…”

“Just what?”

Ye Xi Yun fell silent, her look becoming somewhat awkward.

After observing Ye Xi Yun’s demeanour and behaviour all this time, Yang Kai had a faint guess and narrowed his eyes, “I’ll only ask one question then, and I hope Great Elder can reply truthfully without concealing anything.”

“Please ask, Sect Master,” Ye Xi Yun raised her head and brushed her hair back behind her ear.

“Is the one who is inside the loft behind you the Yang Yan I know, or… your Madam?”

“Both,” A wry smile appeared on Ye Xi Yun’s face.

“I understand,” Yang Kai gently nodded, a look of understanding flashing across his face, “Since that’s the case, it must be related to waking the Great Emperor, I understand.”

Yang Yan had said that after the Emperor Garden officially opened, the Great Emperor would awaken. At that time, Yang Kai had felt somewhat puzzled and suspicious, but he didn’t inquire carefully, perhaps subconsciously afraid to ask about the specific process, worried the answer he received would not be the one he wanted to hear.

In his heart, he had already guessed what would happen.

Today, his speculations had obviously been confirmed.

Since the Great Emperor’s true body had awakened, naturally Yang Yan, as a Soul Clone, could no longer exist independently. The two had been merged into one, which was why Ye Xi Yun gave him such an answer.

“Sect Master is an intelligent person so you should understand what the situation is now,” Ye Xi Yun said indifferently.

“En, I just want to know, what will happen to Yang Yan?”

“She is Madam and Madam is she, therefore nothing will happen to her.”

Yang Kai gently nodded; matters here weren’t so bad he couldn’t accept them. Although the result was not ideal, it also wasn’t the worst-case scenario.

Considering all this, Yang Kai closed his eyes and released his Divine Sense towards the loft to see how Yang Yan was doing at this moment. Ye Xi Yun opened her mouth seeing this but ultimately didn’t try to stop him.

Yang Kai’s Divine Sense easily penetrated the loft and soon found Yang Yan inside a room on the third floor. She was lying quietly on a bamboo bed at the moment, motionless, as if in a deep sleep.

Her appearance was no different from the Yang Yan in his memories, but her temperament had undergone an astonishing change.

The moment Yang Kai’s Divine Sense swept over her, he felt a deep sense of terror, as if he were an ant that had unwittingly spied upon a slumbering dragon!

In that instant, Yang Kai’s very Soul shuddered and an inexplicable sense of crisis surged up from the bottom of his heart.

The next moment, a tearing pain filled his head and Yang Kai’s eyes shot open, his body stumbling backwards involuntarily as his face went extremely pale.

“Sect Master, are you okay,” Ye Xi Yun’s beautiful face paled slightly as she called out.

“I’m fine!” Yang Kai waved his hand, his expression still full of lingering fear; was this the majesty of the Great Emperor? Even in a comatose state, no one was allowed to violate it. Yang Kai had experienced this personally.

If she had been awake, just what kind of power and prestige would she radiate?

Yang Kai’s state of mind fluctuated for a moment before his eyes shined with a colour of yearning.

After a while though, his mood returned to normal and after rubbing his forehead for a moment, Yang Kai asked, “Did she say when she will wake up?”

“Madam said that she had fallen into a deep sleep for too long, over ten thousand years, so waking up will also be a very long process. Only when her Soul and body fully integrate will she be able to awaken, something that could take ten, twenty, dozens, or even a hundred years. Subordinate is also uncertain.”

“So long,” Yang Kai frowned slightly.

“Yes,” Ye Xi Yun nodded lightly, “Madam told me before departing to do everything in my power to assist Sect Master, so if Sect Master has any instructions, please do not hesitate to give them; subordinate will surely act with all haste.”

“Yang Yan ordered…” Yang Kai mused, finally understanding why Ye Xi Yun was now referring to herself as his subordinate as she had never done so before. It turns out there was this kind of reason.

“There’s nothing for you to do. For the time being, you can just remain here to take care of Yang Yan.”

“Yes, Subordinate will live up to Sect Master’s trust, please depart freely then!” Ye Xi Yun gave a slight bow.

Saying so, she pointed towards the exit.

Feeling the words he was about to say get caught in his throat, Yang Kai simply walked off with an angry snort.

In any case, he had determined that Yang Yan was not in any danger, and although her Soul Clone had not been integrated with the Great Emperor’s true body, her memories and emotions would not be erased and would instead be inherited by the current slumbering body.

That was enough.

Yang Kai may not have the qualifications to have an equal dialogue with the Great Emperor right now, but one day, as long as he could stand at her height, he could once again interact with Yang Yan as he always had!

A burst of ambition arose in Yang Kai’s heart.

After returning to High Heaven Sect, nothing much changed; however, the arrival of Huang Juan made Wu Yi, Chang Qi, Hao An, and the other former Hai Ke Family disciples quite happy. Lin Yun’er also quickly won the unanimous affection of all of High Heaven Sect’s members.

This little girl’s presence brought a kind of joy and laughter to the Sect’s headquarters, and after a brief time familiarizing herself with her new environment, Lin Yun’er fell deeply in love with this beautiful place. Everyone here treated her extremely well, as if she was a family member, allowing Lin Yun’er to feel a long-lost sense of warmth, gradually allowing her to let down her guard.

She could often be seen wearing beautiful new clothes, running and jumping all over the Sect with seemingly endless enthusiasm.

Huang Juan, on the other hand, was always in a state of exhaustion chasing after her.

Inside First Heavenly Palace, Yang Kai’s private residence.

Inside a cultivation room, Yang Kai closed his eyes and meditated. He had been in this state for half a month now. When he used his Divine Sense to spy on Yang Yan in the small loft, he had suffered a small wound to his Soul from the invisible Emperor Pressure she naturally released.

This kind of wound wouldn’t cause any problems with day to day life, but if he were to encounter a strong enemy, it would definitely affect his combat strength somewhat.

As such, after Yang Kai returned to the Sect, his first order of business was to recover!