Martial Peak

Chapter 1731, Underground Mystery

When Yang Kai returned to Hundred Flowers Peak, Ye Xi Yun, who was instructing the little Lin Yun’er, was stunned for a moment. Before he could say anything, she asked suspiciously, “Sect Master, why have you returned so soon? Did you encounter some kind of danger?”

Her surprise was understandable; after all, the last time Yang Kai left Shadowed Star, he had been gone for eight years. From Yang Xiu Zhu and the others, Ye Xi Yun had learned just how remote Shadowed Star was and understood that simply travelling to a nearby Cultivation Star took well over a year.

But now, only a year later, Yang Kai had returned to Shadowed Star.

Why would he return so quickly this time?

“I found an Ore Star,” Yang Kai said concisely, and while answering Ye Xi Yun’s words, he swept Lin Yun’er with his Divine Sense.

Yang Kai was shocked to discover that this little girl, who possessed the Tyrant Strength Body and was only about fifteen years old, had physical vitality rivalling an ordinary Origin Returning Realm master who had lived for hundreds of years!

Although her petite body still looked delicate and weak, the strength contained within it was impossible to ignore.

Compared with the last time Yang Kai saw her outside Clear Sky Sect’s Black Sea City, Lin Yun’er had grown slightly taller, and her body had begun to acquire some slight curves while her legs had become longer and slenderer. Her hair was tied up in a bun behind her head, giving her a heroic look.

Seeing Yang Kai staring at her, Lin Yun’er smartly greeted him as Uncle Sect Master.

Yang Kai nodded gently in response.

“An Ore Star?” Ye Xi Yun’s eyes lit up.

Although she had lived her whole life on Shadowed Star and had never seen the wonders of the Star Field for herself, that did not mean Ye Xi Yun was unaware of what discovering an Ore Star meant.

An Ore Star represented wealth, power, and bright future prospects!

Especially for a Sect.

“A rich Ore Star?” Ye Xi Yun asked with interest.

“Very rich, rich beyond your imagination!” Yang Kai replied seriously, “I only explored it for a month and already found eight mineral lodes ranging from rich to poor, including an Annihilation Crystal lode, a Blue Phoenix Tear Iron lode, a Heaven Grasping Jade lode, a Mountain Piercing Ice Copper lode, a Water Cloud Steel lode, and a Saint Crystal lode!”

“So many?” Ye Xi Yun, who was normally extremely calm and composed, could not help feeling shocked by this piece of news Yang Kai had brought back, her beautiful brow rising slightly as her long eyelashes fluttered.

“And that’s just the tip of the iceberg!” Yang Kai emphasized.

“Are there any dangers?”

“None. It’s a Dead Star without any World Energy!” Yang Kai laughed, “If there was any discernible danger, I wouldn’t have made a special trip back. I searched it for a month and I didn’t even see a single living thing, let alone anything dangerous.”

“Then Sect Master intends to…” Ye Xi Yun looked at Yang Kai with bright eyes.

“Naturally, we need to deploy a large amount of manpower to begin mining it!” Yang Kai grinned, “However, even for High Heaven Sect, that Ore Star is too big to monopolize. Invite some of the Sects that had good relationships with us and are reliable to share this news with, to join us.”

“Since it is Sect Master’s orders, this Queen will naturally not object, but… Although there are a few Sects we can cooperate with on this project, we cannot just give them benefits in vain. We should allow them to mine the ore there, but have them pay thirty or forty percent to High Heaven Sect as tax. Also, this will have to wait until after we establish a foothold there.”

“Yeah, Great Elder’s thoroughness is reassuring,” Yang Kai nodded. “But Shadow Moon Hall…”

“Shadow Moon Hall is naturally an exception!” Ye Xi Yun smiled. She also knew that the friendship between Yang Kai and Qian Tong has transcended mere profits and benefits.

“Great, I’ll leave processing this matter in your hands. I’ll refine some special Transmission Tokens as well to assist in the project,” Yang Kai finished speaking and left immediately.

Because there was a need to bring many people to the Ore Star to mine it this time, special Transmission Tokens needed to be specially refined.

It took some time for Yang Kai to finish refining fifty special Transmission Tokens.

This type of Transmission Token was different from the previous ones and could ensure that fifty people could pass through the Space Array arranged by Yang Kai at once. Moreover, when Yang Kai refined these Transmission Tokens, he also set up a Spirit Array inside that would only respond to his or Ye Xi Yun’s Saint Qi. This way, if one wanted to use this Transmission Token, they would first need Ye Xi Yun to pour her Saint Qi into it.

Although this method was a bit cumbersome, it could ensure safety and guarantee that if this Transmission Token ever fell into enemy hands, they would be unable to use it.

Anyone who needed to use this Transmission Token must obtain Ye Xi Yun’s approval!

These special Transmission Tokens were much more cumbersome to refine, so it took Yang Kai ten days to complete all fifty.

Once he was finished, Yang Kai went to see Su Yan and Xia Ning Chang again, but surprisingly, both were in retreat.

With no other alternative, Yang Kai could only give up. In any case, after he completed the Cross-Cultivation Star Space Array network, he could return to High Heaven Sect at any time, so he was not in a rush to disturb them.

By now, Qian Tong had led a group of Shadow Moon Hall’s elites to High Heaven Sect.

He was obviously quite interested in the news from Ye Xi Yun, so this time, he brought a thousand disciples with him. For Shadow Moon Hall, which was still in the process of rebuilding, these thousand people were actually quite a large number.

After arriving at High Heaven Sect and listening to Yang Kai explain the situation regarding the Dead Star, Qian Tong immediately said, “What are we waiting for then? We should rush over immediately! If we can mine all those rare ores, how could we not get rich?”

“Old Qian seems anxious to leave Shadowed Star,” Yang Kai looked at him with a smile.

Qian Tong was stunned for a moment before he let out a hearty laugh, “Indeed, this old master has been struck by lightning a few times these past few days. As time passes, the World Principles here are repelling this old master more and more. This old master was originally worried about what he would do if you did not return for a dozen years. Now that there is such an opportunity, this old master is very eager to take it. Yang Kai, you can rest assured, with this old master overseeing that Ore Star temporarily, if any blind fools come along and try to cause trouble, this old master will take care of them.”

“Since Old Qian has said so, I really can rest assured,” Yang Kai nodded, stood up, and waved, “No point in delaying any longer, let us set out.”

Before the Cross-Cultivation Star Space Array inside High Heaven Sect, more than two thousand cultivators had gathered.

Among these two thousand people, half belonged to Shadow Moon Hall while the rest belonged to High Heaven Sect.

The cultivations of these people were varied, with most being Saint Kings while a few were Origin Realm masters. While mining could be performed by Saints and Saint Kings without a problem, there would always be a need for some masters for security.

Teams of fifty people were quickly organized, with each team leader holding a Transmission Token given to them by Ye Xi Yun. These groups took turns boarding the Cross-Cultivation Star Space Array, with Qian Tong being in the first batch to explore the way and ensure there was no danger on the other side.

White light flashed brilliantly as the Space Array continued to operate almost without pause.

A stick of incense worth of time later, all two thousand people had disappeared.

On the cold and deserted Dead Star, two thousand people appeared inside a deep mountain valley. Turning their heads and looking around, almost everyone felt a little nervous.

For these two thousand people, it was their first time experiencing the vastness and horror of the Star Field. This Dead Star, without World Energy or living creatures, was quite a dark and foreboding environment for them.

Seeing Yang Kai appear with the last batch of people, Qian Tong rushed over and asked, “Is this the Ore Star you spoke of?”

“En.”

“It doesn’t appear very bountiful,” Qian Tong knit his brow.

Yang Kai laughed and said, “A Dead Star is naturally filled with a desolate aura, so of course it doesn’t appear bountiful. The real mysteries are hidden here!”

Saying so, Yang Kai lightly tapped his foot.

“Underground?”

“En, come with me!” Yang Kai beckoned before leading the way.

The team of two thousand cultivators followed after Yang Kai, remaining vigilant of their surroundings as they set out.

However, after discovering that there was really nothing here to be wary of, everyone slowly relaxed.

Without World Energy, it was incredibly difficult for anything that could pose a threat to appear here.

It took the team of two thousand about an hour before they arrived at a giant pit which Yang Kai promptly dove down into.

The two thousand cultivators orderly followed him down.

Soon, everyone stood in front of an ancient ruin.

Listening to Yang Kai’s various speculations about these ruins, Qian Tong and Ye Xi Yun could not help sighing slightly.

Birth, ageing, sickness, and eventually death, such is the Heavenly Way that even stars could not escape. But if that was so, could cultivators defy that natural order? Perhaps they too would become just a handful of scattered ash after many years. Perhaps the now powerful High Heaven Sect and Shadow Moon Hall would one day fall into ruin and be forgotten by history.

The expressions on these two leaders became somewhat complicated and forlorn when thinking about such a future.

“My idea is this: We use this place to set up a camp, as there is already a site ready to be used here. All it needs is a bit of repair and tidying up. With this place as the centre, everyone can spread out and explore, mine ore, then return here to rest and recuperate, what do you two think?” Yang Kai asked as he pointed to the ruins before them.

“Very good! I don’t have a problem with it,” Qian Tong nodded.

“Great Elder?” Yang Kai turned to Ye Xi Yun.

“Naturally, I have no objections.”

“But the building materials…” Qian Tong frowned.

Ye Xi Yun laughed lightly and said with a smile, “We’ve brought enough. Since Sect Master has had this idea for some time now, how could we not make appropriate preparations? Before we came, we had the disciples gather any necessary supplies.”

“In that case, this old master will be profiting from your preparedness,” Qian Tong laughed before turning around and shouting, “Shadow Moon Hall disciples, assist your brothers and sisters from High Heaven Sect in building some houses here. This will be our temporary home.”

The thousand Shadow Moon Hall disciples voiced their understanding and got to work.

The ruins, which had been abandoned for countless years, suddenly became lively again, with two thousand people wandering about, setting up houses with the various materials they had brought.

Meanwhile, Yang Kai began arranging a Space Array here!

Since this would be their main camp, there was naturally a need for a Space Array here to contact the outside. Whether it was the Cross-Cultivation Star Space Array in the mountain valley on the surface or the Space Array Yang Kai had left outside the Saint Crystal lode before, there was a need for this place to be connected to them.

By doing this, it would be far more convenient for the disciples to make roundtrips while mining ore, saving much time and effort.