Martial Peak

Translator: Silavin & Ashish

Translation Checker: PewPewLazerGun

Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys

The Sacred Tree was the foundation of Human Imperial City, and it was the blessing of the Sacred Tree that allowed Human Imperial City to stand tall in this realm for a hundred thousand years. It could be said that for the Imperial Family, nothing was more important than the Sacred Tree.

So when the Fourth Imperial Prince realized that Yang Kai was heading towards the Sacred Tree, how could he not panic? Even though he might not have any idea about what Yang Kai was going to do, it would obviously not be good for the Imperial Family.

The news was immediately passed on to the Human Sovereign, who had been paying attention to the things here from the start. The Human Sovereign's face turned pale in panic when he heard this and hurried towards the Sacred Tree as well. Naturally, many members of the Imperial Family and Masters from the Imperial Palace accompanied him.

Huffing and puffing, over a hundred figures arrived at the location of the Sacred Tree a moment later.

But they all stopped about three hundred metres away from the Sacred Tree.

Because a stone giant covered in sharp barbs and surrounded by evil fire was blocking the road ahead. The stone giant had sharp spikes and was over a dozen metres tall, making it look extremely ferocious. An overwhelmingly sinister aura was radiating from it, making the crowd of Emperor Realm Masters and the Imperial Family members tremble in fright at the mere sight of it.

Naturally, the Human Sovereign had realized that the stone giant was not to be provoked lightly, but what he couldn't figure out was where this giant had popped out from? He hadn't even seen a sign of it before now.

But at this moment, this giant was blocking the road ahead, so obviously it was Yang Kai's helper, and judging by its expression, it was apparent that it had its own sentience.

The Human Sovereign pondered for a moment, but he didn't immediately attack the Embodiment. Instead, he raised his head and shouted at the nearby Yang Kai, "Senior Yang, it's quite late, why have you come to this Restricted Area instead of resting?"

Yang Kai, standing under the Sacred Tree, had his hand on its somewhat feeble-looking trunk and remained completely still, as if he hadn't heard the Human Sovereign's shout. Before everyone's eyes, he seemed to be having some kind of resonance with the Sacred Tree as the Sacred Tree was flickering with a green glow. Even Yang Kai's halo was brightening and dimming with the flickers.

A mysterious aura was spreading into the surroundings at that moment.

The Human Sovereign's face sank seeing this and slightly raised his hand before swinging it forward.

Zhou Yu Chuan immediately rushed out of the crowd, his Emperor Qi surging as he sent out a flurry of punches at the Embodiment, blotting out the entire sky, causing the space to quiver and shake.

Deafening rumbles immediately followed, but when Zhou Yu Chuan stopped punching, his pupils shrank as he saw the stone giant before him remain completely unharmed. Rather, it smiled at him as a man-sized palm came swinging at him, smacking at him like it was swatting a fly.

Zhou Yu Chuan's face turned pale as he crossed his arms in order to defend himself from the oncoming palm.

*Hong…*

A deafening explosion rang out as the sound of bones breaking immediately followed. Zhou Yu Chuan's figure was sent flying as he spurted blood through his nose and mouth, his aura plummeting from the single terrifying blow.

Everyone immediately turned pale.

In terms of cultivation alone, Zhou Yu Chuan was definitely ranked among the top three in the entire Human Imperial City, with the other two top Masters only being his equal. In essence, Zhou Yu Chuan could be regarded as the top Master of Human Imperial City.

But such a Master couldn't even take a single palm from this stone giant? How strong was this monstrosity? In fact, what was it?

The Human Sovereign's countenance changed again as he waved his hand, ordering a dozen or so Emperor Realm Masters to go up at once this time. Apparently, he wanted them to deal with the Embodiment as a group; after all, if even Zhou Yu Chuan wasn't an opponent of this stone giant, then no one in the entire Human Imperial City would be able to defeat it one on one. If they wanted to take it down, they could only rely on the superior numbers.

But before they could act, Yang Kai, who had been standing with his hand on the Sacred Tree's trunk, suddenly moved. He heaved a soft sigh before he withdrew his hand and indifferently asserted, "Human Sovereign, I have no intention of going to war with this city, I only want to take you out of this world, that's all."

Human Sovereign answered in a heavy voice, "This Sovereign appreciates Senior Yang's kind intentions, but this Sovereign has no intention of leaving this world. I am afraid I'm unworthy of Senior Yang's benevolence."

Yang Kai turned around and declared, looking at him with a smile on his face, "If you didn't want to leave this world before, this King would not have cared; after all, forcefully picked melons aren't sweet. It's your business if you wish to remain here, and it has nothing to do with me, but now… if you want to leave, you may leave, and if you do not want to leave, you still must leave, you have no choice in this matter!"

The Human Sovereign immediately turned angry, "Senior Yang just said that forcefully picked melons aren't sweet; in that case, why insist!?"

Yang Kai smiled, "Forcefully picked melons may not be sweet, but they can still quench one's thirst!"

[What nonsense is he spouting?] The Imperial Family members were flabbergasted.

"Senior Yang, what exactly do you mean?" The Human Sovereign furrowed his brow. Yang Kai's strength was extraordinary, as was the strength of the stone giant, but since these two were so powerful, why did he need the people of Human Imperial City? What was his goal in all this? If it was about Saint Techniques, Yang Kai possessed them already and was in no way inferior to the Imperial Family with them. So, the Human Sovereign couldn't understand why Yang Kai was doing this.

"You will naturally come to understand when we arrive in the outside world." Yang Kai indifferently declared.

The Human Sovereign shook his head, "It seems Senior Yang insists on forcing us to leave this world without even telling us the reason. Please forgive this Sovereign for declining your offer. If Senior Yang wants to twist our arms, my Imperial Family isn't afraid to resist. At worst, both of us will suffer mutual destruction."

Yang Kai smiled disdainfully, "Mutual destruction? You don't have the ability. If this King wishes for you to do something, you cannot resist."

Human Sovereign snapped, "Ants may spend their lives eking out their meagre existence, but that does not mean they will just sit back and wait for death when it comes for them."

Yang Kai agreed, nodding, "Quite so, which is why this King is willing to give you a chance."

The Human Sovereign frowned and asked, "I would like to hear the details."

"This King will make a bet with you. If this King can convince the Sacred Tree to leave with me, then I ask Human Sovereign to order the residents of the city to evacuate from this world."

As soon as he stated this, the crowd of a hundred or so people gawked.

The Human Sovereign, on the other hand, had a drastic change in his expression, "So your goal is the Sacred Tree!"

He had been thinking about what Yang Kai had been plotting this whole time, and now it became apparent that he was aiming for the Sacred Tree! [Yes, if there is anything in Human Imperial City that can make someone like Yang Kai interested, it would only be the Sacred Tree.]

However, if they allowed him to take away the Sacred Tree, Human Imperial City would completely lose its blessing, at which point would there even be a choice to remain in this world? Anyone who stayed, would soon be corrupted by Demon Qi and degenerate into a Demon!

As these thoughts crossed his mind, the Human Sovereign instantly exploded in rage, "In your dreams! Today, we will fight you to the death! You can forget about taking the Sacred Tree with you!"

Yang Kai indifferently looked at him, "Human Sovereign, I'm afraid you misunderstand me. When I said make the Sacred Tree leave with me, I didn't mean using force, but to let it make a choice itself. If it refuses, I will never force it."

"Let it make its own choice!?" The Human Sovereign was stunned. [How can the Sacred Tree make a choice? Although the Sacred Tree's blessing has allowed Human Imperial City to stand tall all this time and has protected the Imperial Family from harm, it has never communicated with anyone. Although it's certainly alive, it doesn't have any sentience, so how is it going to make a choice for itself?]

Yang Kai's words confounded him.

Whereas Yang Kai turned to look at the Sacred Tree, ignoring him, and solemnly stated, "Senior Qing, the Star Boundary is in danger. The Demon Race is invading once more. Senior, please lend us your assistance once again!"

Just as these words left his mouth, rumblings suddenly came from underground like a grand earthquake.

Sensing this, everyone started to look doubtful and uncertain. They looked around, trying to see where the source of these abnormal movements was.

*Hong long long…*

The ground split apart as roots suddenly shot out from the ground, one after another, quickly gathering toward the location of the Sacred Tree.

"Ah, the Sacred Tree…" Fu Yu let out a frightened cry, covering her red lips with her hand, her pretty eyes filled with shock.

The others were equally dumbfounded.

Much to their surprise, the Sacred Tree was moving! The Sacred Tree, which had stood at the centre of Human Imperial City for over a hundred thousand years, had moved because of the words of an outsider!

One by one, the roots converged towards the Sacred Tree as a green halo shone brilliantly. At that moment, the entire Human Imperial City basked in a rich green glow. The crown of the giant tree swayed left and right for a time, causing its leaves to rustle, and in just half the time it would take to boil a cup of tea, the Sacred Tree actually stood uprooted. Its roots had converged under its trunk, forming something akin to legs. It then walked forward, step by step, quickly arriving before where Yang Kai stood.

"Many thanks for your help, Senior!" Yang Kai bowed.

In this world, he was probably the only one who knew the origin of the Sacred Tree in Human Imperial City. Even the Imperial Family of Human Imperial City were probably not clear about it.

The last time Yang Kai came here, he suspected that the Sacred Tree of Human Imperial City might be related to the Evergreen Divine Tree of the ancient era. Senior Qing was the patron saint of that era, and in the final battle, he sacrificed his own life in order to block the passage between the two worlds. It was a tragic scene that Yang Kai witnessed with his own eyes. The sight of Senior Qing's righteousness was inspiring and worthy of respect.

Today's Frozen Earth was very likely the battlefield where the Barbarian Race and Demon Race fought their final battle, but more than a hundred thousand years had passed since then, so Yang Kai couldn't be certain if it was really the same place.

Perhaps Senior Qing didn't perish back then, but instead left behind a trace of his existence, that grew up again in the Revolving World, sheltering the residents of Human Imperial City for a hundred thousand years!

The current Sacred Tree was like the continuation of Senior Qing's will and life.

Senior Qing had been willing to sacrifice himself to seal the passage between the two worlds, so how could the Sacred Tree, who had inherited his will, allow the Demon Race to wreak havoc on the Star Boundary without intervening? Yang Kai had already informed this matter to the Sacred Tree first.

Facts proved that he was right. The Sacred Tree indeed made the choice he had expected.

"The Sacred Tree is sentient!" The Human Sovereign murmured in a daze.

The Imperial Family members and the Emperor Realm Masters were tongue-tied and dumbfounded.

"What do you say now?" Yang Kai looked at the Human Sovereign.

The Human Sovereign seemed to have grown over a hundred years older in a flash. Deep resentment and helplessness could be found in between his eyebrows; he resented Yang Kai for actually trying to take them out of this world. The Imperial Family didn't want to leave. As Yang Kai had said before, they were the lords and masters here. Even if their cultivations weren't the best, since they were the Imperial Family, they were the noblest existences in Human Imperial City, but what would the Imperial Family amount to after leaving this world?

What he was helpless about was the fact that the Sacred Tree had made its choice, and with that any choice they might have had, disappeared. Without the shelter of the Sacred Tree, the Imperial Family would no longer be the Imperial Family.

"You will destroy Human Imperial City!" The Human Sovereign glared at Yang Kai, grinding his teeth.

Yang Kai indifferently countered, "Human Sovereign, you're wrong. I am not destroying Human Imperial City. There is no construction without destruction. This King is simply giving you a chance to be reborn."