Martial Peak

Translator: Silavin & Raikov

Translation Checker: PewPewLazerGun

Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys

Fortunately, Yang Kai was within the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary and had plenty of time to waste. Before finding suitable materials to refine, he would be unable to refine more of the Yin, Yang and Five Elements. Otherwise, where would Yang Kai find the time to cultivate other things?

"Can you tell me the specifics of how your old friend cultivated?" Yang Kai asked curiously.

Lu Xue answered, "He did the same thing as Sir. After collecting more than two hundred Spear Secret Techniques, he practised them day after day without rest. I remember hearing him say during that time that only after forgetting the hundreds of techniques, leaving only one behind, would he have succeeded in taking the next step. After several dozen years, when I saw him again, he had succeeded."

"Forgetting hundreds of Spear Secret Techniques while leaving only one behind!" Yang Kai pondered on this wisdom and vaguely understood the man's intention.

But though it was easy to say, how difficult must it be to accomplish this?

Spear Secret Techniques can be improved with repetition; at least, that was Yang Kai's experience during the past two to three months. Once they are performed enough times and their essence could be understood, then it would be branded into one's body as instinct. To forget such a thing would be as difficult as ascending to the Heavens.

But these words opened a new door for him and his eyes sparkled, "Greatest compliments to that old friend of yours!"

Lu Xue smiled, "Maybe Sir can give it a try."

Yang Kai grinned meaningfully and shook his head, "He has his own path and I have mine. His path may not suit me, but it is still worth learning from. You can go first."

At those words, he began rehearsing his one thousand Spear Secret Techniques again.

Cultivation knows no time.

On Crouching Dragon Mountain, Yang Kai practised diligently. He had never devoted himself to one thing with such enthusiasm and dedication as this before.

The one thousand over Spear Secret Techniques were blooming brilliantly in his hands.

He returned to the Star City once every two months, firstly to show his face and to keep people from having ideas, and secondly to check on the status of his subordinates.

Progress was wonderful. The dozen people who had not formed their Dao Seals had now formed them, and they all exceeded their original limits, fulfilling Yang Kai's requirements. Each of them came up to Yue He to seek Fourth-Order or even Fifth-Order materials in order to condense their Yin, Yang and Five Elements.

The ones who had already formed their Dao Seals and had their foundations laid had also refined at least one Element at the limits of what they could bear.

Yang Kai was very much looking forward to Lang Qing Shan's results. As he expected, this guy was able to withstand the impact of a Fifth-Order Element on his Dao Seal and successfully gathered his Wood Element Power. Yang Kai offered him a Sun's True Fire on his return, and he had now gone into retreat in order to condense his Fire Element Power. His speed and aptitude were not bad, even in the eyes of those from Cave Heavens and Paradises.

The Star City's earnings were also extraordinary, and Yang Kai's share was 70%. Naturally, he gained a lot, but these things were all auxiliaries, material goods. One's true foundation was their own strength, so he never stayed long. At most, he would stay for two days before returning to Crouching Dragon Mountain to continue cultivating.

The matter that worried him did not seem to happen, as after razing Sword Pavilion's Star City, the Heavenly Moon Demon Spider did not appear again. Of course, some cultivator strongholds would be destroyed by Beast Tides from time to time, occasionally with no survivors left.

Half a year later, Yang Kai's aura stretched across the lands on Crouching Dragon Mountain with his spear as unrestrained as ever. Once he withdrew his spear, his aura calmed down in an instant and he stood in place to mull over his thoughts.

Not far away, Lu Xue was slightly stunned as she muttered, "1,035 types!"

There were a total of 1,134 Spear Secret Techniques when she began observing Yang Kai, but only 1,035 were now left. Almost a hundred Spear Secret Techniques were lost, and these were changes that appeared within this half a year.

In other words, Yang Kai was gradually forgetting the Spear Secret Techniques that he practised and was embarking on the exact same path as her old friend.

Lu Xue giggled secretly. In the end, it seemed this young man still had the heart of a boy, saying others had their own paths while he had his, but he was just being stubborn. In the end, he was still imitating others.

But to be able to forget a hundred techniques in such a short time was still shocking to Lu Xue; after all, it had taken her old friend several dozen years to achieve the same feat.

Her friend would not have been able to keep up with such a speed, but it did make sense. Yang Kai had already produced a Divine Manifestation through his insight even though he was only in the Emperor Realm. None before in the history of the 3,000 Worlds had accomplished such an achievement!

But the progress that came afterwards shocked Lu Xue even more!

It took Yang Kai half a year to forget 100 Spear Secret Techniques, but that number had already reached 600 after another half a year. He also seemed to be on the brink of attaining mastery of the remaining 500.

Almost every day, several or even a dozen Spear Secret Techniques would disappear from Yang Kai's routine, and the rate that they were disappearing by was increasing more and more.

Two months later, when Yang Kai thrust out his spear, no traces of any Secret Techniques were left, only the simplest stab, swing, slash, and sweep, just like a beginner who had only picked up a spear, holding it clumsily and waving it around with only the slightest strength applied.

But his every move looked unusually arduous. The muscles on his arm bulged and the aura around him rippled as if there was a huge invisible force resisting the spear in his hands, keeping him from moving it freely.

Anyone could probably dodge such an attack with ease.

Lu Xue was now utterly confused.

But she could instinctively feel that a terrifying power was hidden behind each strike. The peak of the Grand Dao was a realm of simplicity. Seemingly ordinary movements could contain an infinite number of variations. If she were to rush towards Yang Kai at this moment, then she most likely would not be able to resist the power of his spear.

He remained in such a state for a year. For a year, he did not stop to rest.

Lu Xue watched nervously each and every day, worrying that Yang Kai would suffer cultivation dissonance. She thought of returning to Scarlet Star to report to Yue He of her findings, but she was worried that something would happen to Yang Kai once she left, so she had no choice but to sit and watch.

After two years, her injuries had long since healed, bringing her back to peak condition; even so, the mental strain was still a little tiring for her.

One day, Yang Kai, who seemed to be listless and dazed, suddenly looked in another direction. The spear in his hands repeated the same simple movements, flowing like water in a natural circular swing.

A Dragon Roar burst out and Dragon Pressure spread, enveloping the Heavens and Earth.

Lu Xue was shocked. When she looked up, it was as if a Great Dragon had appeared, stretching across the sky, with just a corner of its eyes, its gaze swept across this plane, sending shivers into one's heart.

A huge spear shadow covered the world, but Yang Kai was nowhere to be seen. The only thing left in her vision was the spear light that pierced through all.

"Not constrained by paths, reality, or restraints. Not remaining in one state, not bound by one doctrine. Transcending Heaven and Earth, transcending technique and skill. My spear is limitless, my heart is free!"

The sound of manic laughter shook the world, startling birds and beasts alike.

Once Lu Xue's vision was restored, the only thing she saw was Yang Kai, floating in mid-air with his black hair flying in the wind, spear seized in one hand. His black eyes were so bright that they were scary.

Spear marks marred the skies, and the World Principles themselves writhed as they tried to gradually restore the damage.

[What a terrifying spear technique!] Lu Xue's heart trembled as she stared dumbly at the scars that were gradually closing up. She knew that the strength of this youth before her must have soared tremendously after this enlightenment.

But he was taking the same path as her old friend? After forgetting more than a thousand Spear Secret Techniques, shouldn't he master a sure-kill spear? Why was the end result so different? The spear technique that Yang Kai presented at that last moment was indescribable. Though her friend's sure-kill spear had ferocious power, it was a singular technique with no room for evolution; however, the potential of Yang Kai's spear technique seemed infinite.

The superior technique between the two was obvious.

[Is it truly as he says? He had his own path?]

"Sir, what technique is this?" Lu Xue asked curiously.

Yang Kai cocked his head to the side and thought about it before grinning, "Limitless Spear!"

"Limitless Spear!" Lu Xue murmured, "Ever-changing with endless power, not bound to any one technique and moving freely of its own will. An apt name."

She smiled, "But Limitless Spear doesn't sound very imposing. What about Supreme Limitless Spear?"

Yang Kai's eyes brightened. Even though only one word was added, it gave a completely different feeling. With a hearty laugh, he nodded, "Very good! As you say, this will now be called the Supreme Limitless Spear!"

Yang Kai felt great pride as he held his spear in hand. He spent two years gathering the knowledge of more than a thousand clans, eliminating the bad and retaining the good, eventually cultivating the Supreme Limitless Spear, which can be considered a great achievement.

With this Spear Secret Technique in hand, he did not dare say that he had fully unleashed all of the Azure Dragon Spear's might, but it was a definite improvement.

If that mantis head was still alive and Yang Kai were to fight him again, then he was confident that he could kill him with his spear within ten breaths. The mantis head may have been masterful with his blades, but Yang Kai's skill with the spear was no longer shallow either. Compared to two years ago, it was as if he had shed his former body and been reborn.

With his new Spear Secret Technique, there was no need for Yang Kai to stay around any longer, so he instructed Lu Xue, "Pack up and return with me."

Lu Xue answered him in the affirmative but still felt a little apprehensive. After all, her identity was sensitive to Scarlet Star, so she had no idea whether she would be given any trouble once she was there.

But since she had chosen to follow Yang Kai, she could only endure it even if she were treated badly if she wanted to leave the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary safely.

After taking out his Communication Artifact and checking it, Yang Kai discovered that Yue He had tried to contact him numerous times.

Previously, he would return to the Star City once every few months, but during the last year, when he had been at a critical moment in his enlightenment, he had not shown up once, which probably worried Yue He.

At this moment, Yang Kai received another message on his Communication Artifact. Sweeping his Divine Sense over it, he read out in pleasant surprise, "You little fatty, I was wondering whether I'd find you or not, but since you've thrown yourself into the net... then don't think you're getting out so easily!"

Yue He's message actually told him that the little fatty, Xu Zhen, had come to seek him out, and he had been waiting for almost two months now.

This little fatty came from Divine Cauldron Cave Heaven and was a Grandmaster when it came to Artifact Refining and the Dao of Spirit Arrays. Yang Kai wanted his help in setting up a Defensive Spirit Array in the Star City, but unfortunately, he had no idea where he was. He did not expect to receive news about him now.

In a few steps, he arrived by Lu Xue's side, grabbed her arm, then communicated with his Space Beacon, causing them to both disappear in an instant.