Martial Peak

The Emperor’s Dao, multiple Star Fields, Principle Strength, Protectors…

All these new and novel things impacted Yang Kai’s mind, leaving him silent for quite some time.

Yang Yan seemed to have opened a new door in front of him, one that was filled with dazzling light that, although painful to Yang Kai’s eyes, also filled him with excitement…

“According to what you said, this Star Field’s Protector has been missing for over ten thousand years. Wouldn’t that make this Star Field a big piece of unclaimed cake that everyone would covet? Why has only the Insect Emperor invaded after so many years?” After a long silence, Yang Kai raised his head and asked Yang Yan.

Yang Yan laughed lightly, “Do you think it is such a simple thing to break through the barriers of a Star Field? Principles are the laws that govern the world, and those laws are supreme. Even the top ten masters from the place I come from do not dare infringe upon those Principles at will. To break through those Principles and reach this place, one must pay an enormous price!”

Saying so, Yang Yan’s brow furrowed, as if she was thinking of something.

After a brief pause though, she continued, “In short, this price is not something everyone can afford. If one can sense and comprehend Principle Strength all on their own, why take the risk to come to a Star Field to refine the Sources of Cultivation Stars? Only those whose cultivation has stagnated and see no hope of advancing any other way will choose to do this. You must know that once you come to a Star Field that is not yours, your realm will drop significantly. No master wants this to happen.”

“Even if their realm drops, they still want to refine Star Sources in violation of those rules?” Yang Kai exclaimed in shock.

As a cultivator, he naturally knew how painful it was to have one’s cultivation regress. If he, as an Origin King, were to suddenly have his cultivation fall to the Origin Realm or Saint King realm, it would be a massive blow.

Such a setback would likely be impossible to recover from, bringing one’s path on the Martial Dao to an end.

“Naturally!” Yang Yan raised her white chin slightly, “You haven’t reached this realm yet, so you don’t understand the temptation Principle Strength holds to those people. If one’s realm falls, it can be regained through cultivation, but it is not so simple to master Principle Strength. You are now the Star Master of Shadowed Star, so you have vaguely experienced the benefits of Principle Strength. This is an excellent opportunity that only belongs to Star Masters. If their fortune is good enough and they can break through the void to arrive at that place, many great forces will try to recruit them.”

“That place… is called Star Boundary, right?” Yang Kai narrowed his eyes at Yang Yan.

Yang Yan was startled, “How do you know that name? I don’t remember telling you…”

Saying so, her expression suddenly changed, “Who did you meet?”

Yang Kai smiled bitterly, “I did meet someone, and he mentioned the name Star Boundary.”

Yang Kai gave a detailed account of the Spirit Devouring Sect he encountered on Tong Xuan Realm.

After listening to his story, Yang Yan coldly snorted, “As I thought, someone has come down again. They must be anxious to die! Spirit Devouring Crystals are so evil that they are even forbidden in the Star Boundary. All knowledge of how to create them was sealed or destroyed long ago, but it seems there are still those who have access to that information and actually dared bring it to this Star Field.”

“Although that Spirit Array is quite profound and the Spirit Devouring Crystals refined from World Energy are good treasures, they’re not very effective resources, right?” Yang Kai thoughtfully, “Using those Spirit Devouring Crystals to improve one’s strength is indeed faster than cultivating normally, but when I fought that Spirit Devouring Sect’s Sect Master, although he was also a First-Order Origin King, his combat power was far lower than any Origin King I’ve encountered before.”

“Do you think that person passed Secret Techniques to that Spirit Devouring Sect to improve their strength?” Yang Yan coldly snorted, “That person only wanted to use them to test whether this Star Field’s Protector would act. Before he is certain there is no Protector here, he will not dare act rashly. The Spirit Devouring Sect was just a pawn to him.”

Yang Kai was stunned, “I heard that the Spirit Devouring Sect suddenly emerged a hundred years ago, so doesn’t that mean that person came to the Star Field a hundred years ago? He actually remained in hiding for that long?”

“Compared to his life, what is a hundred years?”

“That’s right, you fell into a deep sleep for ten thousand years…” Yang Kai thought about it and realized that a hundred years of patience was really nothing compared to the time Yang Yan had been asleep.

“Lower your Knowledge Sea’s defences, I’ll check what that guy left in you. If possible, this Queen will find him personally and deal with him. It will be this Queen’s final gift to you before leaving this Star Field.”

“Alright!” Yang Kai nodded lightly.

The next moment, he sent his consciousness into his Knowledge Sea and released all his defences.

He did not need to feel the least bit of wariness toward Yang Yan. Although the feeling he got from her was not exactly the same as before, Yang Kai still found many things familiar about her.

With a light breeze, a beautiful figure appeared inside Yang Kai’s Knowledge Sea and stood beside him. Naturally, it was Yang Yan’s Soul Avatar.

Looking around for a while, she nodded in approval, “Your Soul is far stronger than an average cultivator of your realm, probably on the same level as a Third-Order Origin King. What’s more, you have a Mutated Conflagrated Knowledge Sea… Hm? A Soul Warming Lotus? A Seven Coloured Soul Warming Lotus?”

Yang Yan suddenly exclaimed as she covered her small mouth with her delicate hands, her beautiful eyes flashing as if she had seen something astonishing, “You actually possess a Seven Coloured Soul Warming Lotus?”

This was the first time she had entered Yang Kai’s Knowledge Sea, so after seeing the Seven Coloured Soul Warming Lotus, she was thoroughly stunned.

It was no doubt a Seven Coloured Soul Warming Lotus. The seven coloured radiance which gently lingered around this supreme treasure gave her Soul a comfortable and pure feeling.

“Is this thing really that valuable? Why does everyone who sees it wear such an expression?” Yang Kai scratched his nose. The unknown master who saw the Soul Warming Lotus in his Knowledge Sea the other day reacted almost identically to Yang Yan.

“Is it valuable?” Yang Yan glanced at Yang Kai, “The value of this treasure is immeasurable. As its owner, I am sure you’ve experienced the benefits it brings to you. What more do I need to say?”

Yang Kai nodded.

“So that’s how it is. I wondered why your Spiritual Energy was so much stronger than a normal cultivator’s, it turns out you’ve had this Soul Warming Lotus all along! And this Soul Warming Lotus is actually in its seven coloured form. Your luck is definitely not ordinary,” Yang Yan showed a look of envy as she told Yang Kai’s solemnly, “Even in the Star Boundary, the Soul Warming Lotus is a legendary treasure. Very few people have ever even seen it before. If you one day reach the Star Boundary, you must keep its existence secret.”

“I know. Only those closest to me know I have this Soul Warming Lotus,” Yang Kai nodded.

Hearing what he said, a strange look flashed across Yang Yan’s eyes, but it disappeared in the next instant and she gradually restored her previous calmness before saying, “That’s not enough. I will give you a set of Soul-Type Secret Techniques later that you can cultivate to block off probing of your Knowledge Sea. I will also place a barrier for you. With these two things, unless it is someone with cultivation equalling mine, no one will be able to forcefully invade your Knowledge Sea. The barrier won’t harm you and as your strength improves, it will slowly lift on its own.”

“Many thanks,” Yang Kai smiled happily.

Yang Yan nodded lightly before continuing to sweep her eyes around, eventually directing them upwards where she saw a sea full of stars and was stunned once again, muttering out loud, “The Star Chart?”

“Oh, it’s something I obtained by accident when I first entered the Star Field,” Yang Kai casually explained while carefully examining Yang Yan’s expression.

Yang Yan’s expression was quite strange actually. When she saw this Star Chart, it was like a forlorn and lonely aura washed over her, as if she had lost something unbelievably valuable, sadness filling her pretty face.

Yang Kai was not clear about what happened. When that unknown master saw this Star Chart before, he was obviously extremely excited, even more so than when he saw the Soul Warming Lotus, so why was Yang Yan reacting like this…

“The Star Chart actually appeared here!” Yang Yan closed her beautiful eyes and stood motionless.

Yang Kai did not dare to interrupt and just waited quietly.

After a long time, Yang Yan slowly opened her eyes and sighed, “Yang Kai, it seems the role of Protector for this Star Field is destined to fall on your shoulders.”

Yang Kai frowned, “Please don’t joke, how could I be this Star Field’s Protector with just my strength? Although I do not know what kind of masters roam the Star Boundary you come from, I do know I’m no match for them right now.”

“You can’t escape this, because this Star Chart can only belong to the Star Field’s Protector!” Yang Yan turned his head to look at him.

“What do you mean?”

Yang Yan whispered, “A Cultivation Star has its own Star Source, which a cultivator can refine to become its Star Master. In another sense, a Star Master is the guardian and protector of their Cultivation Star. The same principle applies to Star Fields: they have their own source as well, and that source is this Star Chart!”

As she said so, she pointed to the sky, “Only by refining the Star Chart Source can you qualify to be a Star Field’s Protector. Now that this Star Chart belongs to you, do you think you can escape this fate?”

Yang Kai was stunned, “This thing is the entire Star Field’s Source? You must be kidding me, I’ve only ever used it to find directions, other than that, I haven’t discovered any other use for it.”

Yang Yan just looked at him with a solemn expression.

“You’re serious?” Yang Kai’s face changed slightly.

“Why would I joke about such an important matter? It’s almost like the Heavenly Way is silently guiding you towards this destiny,” Yang Yan said with mixed emotions. “You have the Star Chart and that person’s Sealed World Bead. You also cultivate the Dao of Space. Hehe, it seems you really are inheriting that guy’s mantle. As for the reason you can’t discover any of this Star Chart’s effects, it’s just because you aren’t strong enough yet. When you reach my level, you will understand how precious this Star Chart is. It is a treasure that countless people wish to possess but cannot obtain.”

“The person you spoke of was this Star Field’s previous Protector, right?”

“En.”

“Where is he now?”

“He disappeared thousands of years ago and this Star Chart is now with you, where you do think he is?” Yang Yan looked straight at Yang Kai.

“Dead?” Yang Kai was shocked.

“Who knows?” Yang Yan sneered with a mix of frustration and resignation, “He likes to wander through The Void, so perhaps he was swallowed up by it one day. If that is the case, he brought his fate upon himself!”