Martial Peak

More than a dozen, what kind of concept was this? Although Qian Tong and Fei Zhi Tu had not cultivated the Demon Blood Thread, they also knew about its requirements. They knew it was based on condensing one’s vital essence into a type of hybrid artifact and Secret Technique. As such, even if those from Demon Blood Temple were quite strong, they couldn’t cultivate many of these Demon Blood Threads.

Demon Blood Temple’s Temple Master cultivated her Demon Blood Threads by using a vicious Secret Technique that gathered Yang to supplement Yin, essentially harvesting the vital essence of strong men on a large scale. Still, even she was only able to produce two Demon Blood Threads. How much vital essence would Yang Kai need to condense a dozen then? And looking at his complexion, there were obviously no signs that his vitality was deficient, instead, it seemed to be stronger than most.

This was a strange situation.

Could it be it wasn’t the Demon Blood Thread Secret Technique and simply looked like it?

Qian Tong and Fei Zhi Tu couldn’t figure out no matter how they thought about it.

The two of them also didn’t know that a dozen Golden Blood Threads wasn’t Yang Kai’s limit. In fact, Yang Kai had already condensed several dozen Golden Blood Threads in his body, each of which was transformed from a drop of pure Golden Blood.

With the pure Life Revitalizing Jade Cream, Yang Kai no longer needed to worry about having a shortage of pure Golden Blood, so he spared no effort to condense new Golden Blood Threads.

After the dozen or so Golden Blood Threads appeared, they did not immediately attack the Sect Defending Array. Instead, they began twisting and intertwining, as if they had their own spirituality, gradually combining into a single strand that after trembling slightly transformed into a five-metre-long golden spear.

Golden light radiated from this spear together with an astonishing pressure before it suddenly struck towards the Sect Defending Array.

*Hong…*

There was a loud noise as the tip of the golden spear hit the Sect Defending Array. The light curtain suddenly reacted like a thick bubble filled with air, sinking deeply, causing the eyes of Qian Tong and Fei Zhi Tu to bulge in shock as they watched from the sideline.

The two of them had been participating in attacking the Sect Defending Array here for half a month, so they were very familiar with the sturdiness of this barrier. Seeing how it reacted to Yang Kai’s golden spear, they were able to infer just how powerful this attack was.

Such power was enough to cause even them to shiver.

However, the Sect Defending Array was also mighty, and no matter how Yang Kai thrust his golden spear, he still couldn’t break it open. Instead, after deflating to a certain extent, the light curtain violently rebounded, not only restoring its original form but also sending the golden spear condensed from a dozen Golden Blood Threads hurtling backwards.

Yang Kai’s expression remained as tranquil as an ancient well though as he used his Divine Sense to manipulate the spear. Breaking the spear down into its original Golden Blood Threads, Yang Kai wove them together again in a different configuration to create a golden axe. This axe descended from the sky towards the barrier again in the next moment, carrying with it a Heaven-destroying power.

Manipulating the Golden Blood Threads to undergo such transformations was the essence of what was recorded in the second half of the Demon Blood Thread Secret Technique.

Yang Kai quickly became excited and forgot about his surroundings completely, immersing himself completely in controlling his Golden Blood Threads, transforming them into various forms as he tested each one’s might with the Sect Defending Array again and again.

This kind of Golden Blood Thread manipulation could not be fully displayed with just two threads; only when a cultivator condensed a certain number of them would they be able to bring out this technique’s full might.

Yang Kai didn’t know what kind of cultivation the Senior who created the Demon Blood Thread Secret Technique possessed, but ever since Shadowed Star’s World Principles began acting as shackles, no one from Demon Blood Temple had truly been capable of properly displaying it.

Even the glamorous Temple Master had barely been able to cultivate two Demon Blood Threads over the course of her entire life, so how could she display such magical transformations? However, it wasn’t like she was completely incapable of using this technique. At least on the ice road, Yang Kai had seen her transform her two Demon Blood Threads into blood snakes that resembled living creatures.

This was one of the other transformations described in the Demon Blood Thread Secret Technique, and although Yang Kai knew how to cultivate it, he currently didn’t meet the requirements for it.

That was because this transformation required the Soul and Monster Core of a powerful Monster Beast to complete.

Yang Kai was currently focusing on transforming his Golden Blood Threads into different kinds of weapons.

At first, Yang Kai wasn’t very proficient in using this technique, but as time passed, and he continued displaying various transformations, he became more and more skilled at manipulating his Golden Blood Threads.

Qian Tong and Fei Zhi Tu were also amazed as they watched from nearby, neither of them going to disturb Yang Kai rashly as they could tell from his expression that he was immersed in his own practice and comprehension of this Secret Technique.

This was a good thing, so how could they interfere?

The Sect Defending Array of the Ancient Sect Ruins in Fallen Emperor Mountain was bombarded by hundreds of Origin Returning Realm masters for half a month and was already beginning to falter, so two days after Yang Kai joined, it was teetering on the brink of collapsing.

A light cracking sound suddenly rang out, and though it was faint, every cultivator in the vicinity clearly heard it.

Turning in the direction of the source of the sound, everyone saw a tiny crack appear on the Sect Defending Array’s light curtain.

In an instant, everyone became excited and filled with joy.

Although it was only a small crack, one that was nearly negligible, it showed that the Sect Defending Array here had reached its limit and as long as they tried for just a while longer, they should be able to break it open.

Without any orders from anyone, after a moment of silence, everyone attacked the light curtain even more forcefully.

*Kacha…*

Soon, cracking sounds rang out from various places. Like sparks setting a dry prairie field on fire, innumerable spider-web like cracks began propagating across the entire Sect Defending Array, centred on the cracks that first appeared.

A violent pressure slowly spread out from a certain location, causing all of the attacking masters to turn their heads and stare in that direction.

What they saw was a cultivator wearing blue robes slowly rising up into the sky, like an ancient god ascending from the earth, releasing an unparalleled might as he held his hands up high, lifting up a dazzling ball of light like the sun that gave off energy fluctuations which caused everyone to pale.

For a time, the blue-robed cultivator became the focus of everyone’s attention.

“Qu Zheng’s Great Sun Radiant Seal really lives up to its reputation,” Fei Zhi Tu looked over and muttered, a tinge of fear lacing his voice.

“That’s Heaven Battling Union’s Union Master Qu Zheng?” Yang Kai asked in surprise.

“En,” Qian Tong was gently nodded as a touch of dread flashed across his face, “He’s one of Shadowed Star’s top masters. Although this old master is also a Third-Order Origin Returning Realm cultivator like him, if we were to really fight, I’d estimate my odds of winning are less than twenty percent!”

Cultivators in the same realm could have wide gaps in strength which were often the result of the differences in their Secret Arts, Secret Techniques, and artifacts they mastered.

So even if they were both Third-Order Origin Returning Realm masters, Qian Tong didn’t dare say he was on par with Qu Zheng.

Yang Kai was an extreme example of this, as although he was just a First-Order Origin Realm cultivator, no ordinary cultivator in his realm could put up any kind of resistance against him.

As they spoke, Qu Zheng had already flown to a height of several thousand metres, his expression extremely solemn as he gently threw the ball of light in his hand downward.

As if it had no weight, the ball of light began to slowly descend towards the ground.

[So slow?] Yang Kai frowned. If this was really the so-called Great Sun Radiant Seal’s power, its reputation wasn’t justified; after all, with such a slow speed, how could it cause any threat? Would any opponent simply stand there waiting to be hit?

However, since both Qian Tong and Fei Zhi Tu were extremely wary of this Secret Technique, things must be different from what Yang Kai was imagining.

Thinking so, Yang Kai watched more intently.

A moment later, an abnormal change occurred.

The Great Sun Radiant Seal, which had been falling slowly, suddenly disappeared from everyone’s vision, and when it reappeared, it was already on top of the Defending Array.

It seemed to have crossed a few thousand metres in an instant.

Yang Kai paled as he exclaimed, “The power of Space?”

But soon, he shook his head and denied his suspicion. If this Secret Technique really made use of ‘Space’, he would have felt some residual fluctuations; after all, in terms of his attainments in the Dao of Space, Yang Kai didn’t feel he was inferior to anyone. Even Heaven Battling Union’s Great Elder Mo Xiao Sheng, who was also proficient in the Dao of Space, could not compare to him.

Rather than using the power of Space, this Great Sun Radiant Seal was simply too fast, it’s previous slowness a mere illusion.

Possessing both power and speed, this Secret Technique mastered by Qu Zheng was truly really extraordinary. If Yang Kai were to take such a blow head-on, even if he didn’t die he would certainly be grievously wounded.

All kinds of thoughts flashed through Yang Kai’s mind as the Great Sun Radiant Seal made contact with the light curtain before exploding silently, the energy contained within this light ball bursting out in a brilliant explosion so bright that everyone nearby had to shield their eyes.

Although there was no sound, the energy fluctuations that erupted at this time were extremely terrifying. A wave of wind and World Energy centred on the point of contact spread out, uprooting trees and sending rocks flying together with numerous unlucky cultivators. Even some of the weaker cultivators who were simply observing from ten kilometres away were blown away by this explosion.

*Kacha…*

As if lightning had struck, a violent, crackly sound resounded before the world fell silent again.

When the light dissipated and everyone opened their eyes again, they found that the Sect Defending Array’s light curtain had disappeared and the mountains and forest hidden within were exposed along with the Ancient Sect Ruins.

Qu Zheng stood mid-air with an expression of pride on his face.

Although the Sect Defending Array was broken thanks to the contributions of everyone present, in the end, he was the one to deliver the final blow, allowing him to enjoy the looks of adoration and worship from the crowd.

From all directions, countless words of flattery, praising Qu Zheng’s incredible might and unparalleled strength rang out.

“Good, good, now that this array has been broken, it’s time to go in and take a look. Everyone, this old master will be going on ahead!” Qu Zheng cupped his fists quickly before immediately flying forward, many of the Heaven Battling Union masters naturally following closely behind.

Immediately, Thunder Typhoon Sect’s group also rushed in.

After the masters from the two giants left, the numerous Origin Returning Realm masters who were present also rushed inside, each of them flying off in a different direction towards the depths of this Ancient Sect Ruin, all of them hoping to reap some valuable gains.

They had worked hard here for the past half a month, so now was the time to collect their reward; no one wanted to fall behind.

Yang Kai, Fei Zhi Tu, and Qian Tong were also among this crowd, their Divine Senses sweeping their surroundings for a moment before Qian Tong pointed in one direction and said, “That way!”