Martial Peak

Translator: Silavin & PewPewLaserGun

Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys

The others also quickly discovered this issue and looked at Yang Kai and Ai Ou suspiciously.

“I’m not using any kind of Secret Technique, I’m just absorbing them normally,” Ai Ou said with an innocent expression on his face, turning to look at Yang Kai for confirmation.

Yang Kai also nodded and said, “I haven’t used any Secret Technique either.”

Everyone present was a hegemon-level figure from the Star Field, but after arriving at this juncture together, they worked together without any kind of intrigue, so if Ai Ou and Yang Kai said they were not doing anything special, the others didn’t doubt them.

“That’s strange, then is there something… different about you two?” Gu Cang Yun frowned in thought.

Soon, Chi Yue’s beautiful eyes lit up as she muttered thoughtfully, “Could it be… because you’re both Star Masters?”

Hearing what she said, everyone could not help showing a stunned look before thinking this very well could be the case.

Among the six present, only Yang Kai and Ai Ou had refined a Star Source and become Star Masters. If there was a significant difference between the two of them and the others, this was it.

Thinking about it carefully, this was the only plausible explanation.

“Strange… does being a Star Master really grant such a mysterious benefit?” Wu Dao shook his head as he wore a slight look of regret on his face. If he had known this before, he would have found a way to refine a Cultivation Star’s Star Source before coming here; even if there was great danger, he still would have had to try.

The surrounding starlight had the effect of cleansing and tempering one’s body and Soul, and this was only what everyone had been able to sense so far. There may still be unknown benefits, so the more they could absorb, the better.

But now, the other four could only look on at Yang Kai and Ai Ou with envy, watching those wisps of starlight pour into their bodies and disappear.

Ai Ou could not help grinning smugly.

Yang Kai knit his brow for a moment before suggesting, “We should slightly separate. I’ll walk further apart from everyone else, and several Seniors should space themselves out somewhat as well, just don’t stray too far from each other.”

Wherever Yang Kai walked, no starlight remained, so he could not travel together with the others.

Fortunately, no obvious signs of danger were to be seen yet, so separating was not too much of a risk.

“Sounds good,” Wu Dao nodded and agreed with Yang Kai’s proposal.

The others also did not have any objections and quickly, the group separated into two, with Yang Kai on the right, and the others to the left. The group of six then continued forward unhurriedly.

Although Yang Kai did not know why being a Star Master gave such an advantage, he tell that the wisps of starlight flooding into his body had something to do with the Star Source he had refined, otherwise, he and Ai Ou wouldn’t have such different performances to the others.

It was probably the very existence of the Star Source’s energy in his body that drew in these wisps of starlight and allowed him to absorb them so easily.

Observing the situation on the left side for a while, Yang Kai confirmed that Ai Ou and the others were all in a stable condition, allowing him to relax and concentrate on analysing the benefits the starlight brought to him.

Yang Kai’s physique was already extraordinarily strong. After several years of tempering in the Dead Zone, he had already surpassed the level an Origin King Realm should have.

But as these wisps of starlight entered his body, Yang Kai could still feel his physical quality being significantly improved. Vitality burgeoned from every inch of his flesh, and his body seemed to now contain a Heaven-destroying and Earth-shattering power.

Even the Pure Golden Blood flowing through his body was distilled to a certain extent.

This Pure Golden Blood was one of Yang Kai’s unique treasures, and he had long ago thought it had reached a state of perfection, but now he realized that he was short-sighted.

His Pure Golden Blood could still be enhanced!

His body was washed of all impurities, leaving him with flawless flesh and crystal-jade bones. Even his five viscera and six organs seemed to have been strengthened and now emitted a lustre.

This was a manifestation of his physical body’s enhancement.

His Soul also reaped huge benefits.

Yang Kai sent his consciousness into his Knowledge Sea, and through his Soul Avatar, he could see the tiny wisps of starlight flooding in from the outside. While his Knowledge Sea was absorbing some of these wisps though, many were also flying towards his Seven Coloured Soul Warming Lotus.

The Soul Warming Lotus, which was accepting all the starlight coming to it, now gave off a dreamlike glow as faint ripples spread out.

This dazzling radiance seemed to contain a mysterious power that continuously strengthened Yang Kai’s Soul as it rippled forth.

Seeing this scene, Yang Kai suddenly understood!

Him and Ai Ou being able to absorb the starlight here at a much faster rate than the others could be explained by their identities as Star Masters.

But even so, Yang Kai was still able to absorb the starlight almost ten times faster than Ai Ou!

This was a fact difficult to explain.

Yang Kai did not understand the reason for this at first, but now that he had seen the situation in his Knowledge Sea, he realized the truth.

The Soul Warming Lotus was causing this phenomenon! With the Soul Warming Lotus helping to absorb the starlight and merge it with him, how could Ai Ou compete?

Seeing this scene, Yang Kai’s brow suddenly twitched as he remembered what that master named Wu Sheng Feng from Star Boundary’s Falling Star Sect said back then.

Wu Sheng Feng said that the Soul Warming Lotus could still evolve further.

Yang Kai was extremely surprised at that time because he had always felt that the seven-coloured form was the final form of the Soul Warming Lotus, but now, he realized that Wu Sheng Feng was correct.

What would the Soul Warming Lotus look like if it was able to evolve further? Just what kind of benefits would it be able to provide? Yang Kai did not know, but now that the Soul Warming Lotus was actively trying to absorb this mysterious starlight, he knew it had a great nourishing effect.

Allowing the Soul Warming Lotus to do as it pleased, Yang Kai simply walked forward slowly.

His whole body was like a vortex, and wherever he walked, the starlight would converge towards him. Feeling the changes happening in his body, Yang Kai felt joyous in his heart.

Simply closing his eyes, he began to meander about in a leisurely manner.

Time slowly passed by, but with no sun, moon, or stars here, it was not long before everyone lost track of how long they had been walking. A rough estimate would say they had been travelling for at least a month.

Suddenly, a low shout came from Yang Kai’s side.

Yang Kai was stunned, and thinking that something had gone wrong, he quickly opened his eyes and looked over.

But soon, he knew his assumption was wrong as the other five were all safe and sound. It was only that Ai Ou showed a shocked expression on his face and was deeply frowning, seemingly pondering something.

The other four people also had similar expressions.

“Everyone, what happened?” Yang Kai asked.

Gui Zu raised his head and said, “Sect Master, feel the power in your body and see if there are any changes!”

He did not directly answer Yang Kai’s question but instead directed him to investigate for himself. Yang Kai immediately understood that this was an important matter, so he immediately began to inspect himself.

Soon, Yang Kai also showed a shocked look as his expression changed greatly.

“It looks like you’ve noticed too,” Gui Zu laughed gratingly. “It is precisely because we discovered this that we suddenly woke up.”

“What exactly is happening?” Yang Kai looked at everyone in amazement.

Everyone shook their heads, however, unable to explain.

Wu Dao pondered for a long time before offering a theory, “According to the observation of this old master, the Saint Qi in our bodies seems to be transforming into a higher form.”

“Transforming into a higher form?” Yang Kai raised his brow.

“Indeed,” Wu Dao gently nodded, “This is just this old master’s opinion, however, and I have no proof either way.”

He paused and continued to speak, “We cultivators start our cultivation journey with Yuan Qi. After cultivating to the True Element Boundary, Yuan Qi is transformed into True Qi. Only True Qi can support a True Element Boundary Cultivator’s Martial Skills and techniques, Yuan Qi is simply insufficient. This is similar to a child needing to wear bigger clothes when he grows up. The smaller clothes would only serve to hinder his movements.”

Everyone nodded lightly.

What Wu Dao said was common sense. Everyone who cultivated knew this, so there was no reason they would not understand.

“Then, when a cultivator reaches the Saint Realm, the True Qi in the body will transform into Saint Qi!” Wu Dao’s eyes flickered, “However, after the Saint Realm, there is the Saint King Realm, Origin Returning Realm, and Origin King Realm, but through those realms, Saint Qi shows no further transformations. This old master has considered this issue in the past and felt that there should be a higher form of power a cultivator can possess, but nothing tangible ever came out from my ponderings until today!”

The longer he spoke, the more Wu Dao’s eyes burst with excitement.

“Senior Wu Dao means…” Yang Kai’s brow rose, “The Saint Qi in our bodies is being transformed into a stronger form?”

“It should be,” Wu Dao laughed. “And the starlight here not only has the effect of cleanings one’s body and Soul but can also assist in this transformation process! This old master speculates that once all the Saint Qi in our bodies has undergone this transformation, we can take that next step!”

As soon as this remark came out, everyone’s body shook.

The masters here, besides Yang Kai, were all Third-Order Origin Kings, so they naturally understood what Wu Dao meant by taking that next step.

That was the step above the Origin King Realm!

It was a realm that no master from the Star Field’s history had ever been able to reach.

At this moment, the change in the strength of everyone’s body was not just an opportunity, it was a guiding ray of light.

This was definitely a brand-new force that they had never encountered before, one that was far more refined, condensed, and powerful than Saint Qi.

In other words, even if two Origin Kings had the same cultivation, but one of them had Saint Qi while the other had this new strength, the one with the latter would be able to triumph over the former with ease.

True Qi was stronger than Yuan Qi, and Saint Qi was stronger than True Qi, so this new power was naturally much stronger than Saint Qi.

“I just don’t know what this power is called,” Wu Dao said with some regret. This was not a surprise though as no one here had contacted a higher-level Martial Dao.

“I feel that this new power is closely linked to the essence of my life and Soul, my source so to speak!” Chi Yue said thoughtfully.

Everything in this world had an origin, a source. Stars had Star Sources and cultivators had their own sources as well, the root of their existence. Without that source, they would not be.

The power everyone’s Saint Qi was transforming into seemed to somehow be related to their own source.