Martial Peak

Translator: Silavin & PewPewLaserGun

Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys

Although Yang Kai had no need to restore himself, in order to avoid being too conspicuous, he found a quiet spot nearby and sat down to meditate.

The World Energy here was much richer than outside, so meditating here produced twice the result with half the effort; as such, after a short while, the Saint Kings had completely restored themselves.

Sensing approaching footsteps, Yang Kai slowly opened his eyes and saw Cai He and Du Si Si walking over towards him. Du Si Si wore the same gloomy look on her face while Cai He was smiling lightly.

“Is there something you two wish to discuss with me?” Yang Kai asked when they approached, pretending to be confused. Although he wasn’t certain why they had come over to speak with him, Yang Kai was fairly positive it had something to do with the Array Plate.

Sure enough, Cai He cupped his fists and said, “Please don’t blame us, Brother Yang. We’re all comrades here so naturally this Cai doesn’t wish to impose on you. I simply came here to ask Brother Yang how he plans to deal with the Array Plate he just acquired. Do you perhaps have any intention to sell it?”

When he asked this question, Du Si Si also stared at Yang Kai, seemingly quite eager to cut in, as if she couldn’t wait to make an offer the moment Yang Kai said he planned to sell it.

Unfortunately for them, Yang Kai simply smiled and shook his head, “Sorry, I’m not currently lacking money so I don’t have any plans to sell this thing right now!”

A trace of pity flashed across Cai He’s face. Despite having some faint speculation, when he heard Yang Kai’s answer in person, he inevitably felt disappointed.

On the other hand, Du Si Si coldly snorted, “Just by looking at you it’s obvious you know nothing about Spirit Arrays. Do you even know what that Array Plate is or what it’s used for?”

Yang Kai glanced over at her lightly, “Is that any concern of yours? This thing is in my hands, so naturally I have the freedom to do with it what I please.”

“You…” Du Si Si’s chest heaved up and down as she shouted, “But your being able to obtain that Array Plate is thanks to everyone’s concerted efforts! On top of that, your being able to find that Array Core is all thanks to me and Cai He! Even if that Array Plate is now in your hands, it still partially belongs to me!”

“Oh?” Yang Kai stroked his chin as he looked at her with a smile, “Listening to you, it seems you want to snatch this Array Plate from me, yes?”

“I said no such thing, don’t make false accusations!” Du Si Si’s complexion paled slightly as she unconsciously glanced over at Fei Zhi Tu. After all, Fei Zhi Tu had just said that since the Array Plate had been taken by Yang Kai, it belonged to him. If she really tried to snatch it from Yang Kai now, she would have no way to explain herself to Fei Zhi Tu.

“Then what do you want?” Yang Kai’s expression became cold. He didn’t have a favourable impression of this arrogant young woman. If others didn’t provoke him, he could ignore them, but once they did provoke him, he would certainly not give them any face.

“I… I just want to buy your Array Plate on behalf of the Du Family!” Du Si Si grit her teeth and declared.

“I’ve already said that this Array Plate is not for sale,” Yang Kai shook his head slowly. Right now, he still didn’t know the value of this Array Plate, so forget about a trivial Du Family, even if Shadow Moon Hall wanted to buy it from him, he wouldn’t agree. How could he so easily give up this Array Plate before understanding its role and value?

Du Si Si raising the Du Family’s name was clearly an attempt to pressure Yang Kai, something he felt even more disgusted by.

Hearing Yang Kai’s refusal, Du Si Si sneered before saying, “Don’t be in a rush to refuse, it won’t be too late to reject my offer after you hear it. My Du Family will pay you thirty million Saint Crystals for that Array Plate!”

“Thirty million… that’s certainly a lot of Saint Crystals,” Yang Kai grinned meaningfully.

This little girl clearly had no clue about Dragon Cave Mountain’s reputation if she thought a trivial thirty million Saint Crystals would be enough to move Yang Kai. On the contrary, Cai He seemed to have heard some rumours about Dragon Cave Mountain and smiled wryly.

“You’re not satisfied with such a price?” Du Si Si was obviously taken aback. After all, she heard that Yang Kai was nothing more than a wanderer who had occupied a single mountain and was followed by a band of misfit cultivators. Such a cultivator should never have seen such a number of Saint Crystals before. Even for her Du Family, taking out so many Saint Crystals at once was not a simple matter and Du Si Si certainly had no right to make such a decision on its behalf, but for a matter as important as this Array Plate, even if she returned home and informed her family of this negotiation, they would definitely not object.

Even if they needed to smash their pots to sell the scrap iron, they would find a way to put together this amount.

Du Si Si’s brow furrowed. She thought Yang Kai was simply trying to raise the price by acting aloof and silently cursed him for being so despicable. Narrowing her eyes, she continued, “If you can sell this Array Plate to me, my Du Family will not only pay you thirty million Saint Crystals, but our Array Masters will also help you arrange several sets of powerful Spirit Arrays for free. Is that not enough?”

“It’s not for sale!” Yang Kai still shook his head.

Du Si Si stared at Yang Kai as if he was a fool. In all honesty, the price she offered was not low, but she never expected that it wouldn’t be able to move Yang Kai at all. After hearing what he said, she ground her teeth audibly and began to hesitate, seemingly debating whether to raise her offer again.

Yang Kai interrupted her with a wave of his hand though and declared, “Miss Du, please withdraw. No matter what kind of offer your Du Family makes I will not sell this Array Plate!”

“You’ll regret this!” Du Si Si shouted angrily before stomping her foot, turning around, and walking away, no longer interested in talking nonsense to Yang Kai.

Cai He opened his mouth and seemed to want to comfort her, but eventually held his tongue.

After Du Si Si left, he smiled bitterly and apologized, “Brother Yang, don’t blame her. Si Si was raised a bit spoiled and so her temperament is a bit difficult. If Brother Yang feels offended, this Cai will respectfully withdraw as well.”

Yang Kai looked at him with a smile and shook his head, “It’s fine, I won’t lower myself to her level.”

“Many thanks, Brother Yang,” Cai He breathed a sigh of relief before continuing, “It seems Brother Yang really doesn’t understand the value of this Array Plate, correct?”

Yang Kai brow rose slightly as he said, “Please enlighten me!”

Cai He chuckled as he sat down cross-legged opposite Yang Kai and began chatting with him.

After listening to Cai He’s explanation, Yang Kai realized just how rare and precious this Array Plate was and why Du Si Si was so adamant about obtaining it.

The Dao of Spirit Arrays was broad and profound, and even if a cultivator spent their entire life studying them, they may not be able to truly understand all the various aspects and components of Spirit Arrays.

Meanwhile, Array Plates were another field unto their own.

Shadowed Star’s current Array Masters were no longer capable of producing Array Plates, not only because the method of refining Array Plates had been lost to history but because even those qualified to refine Array Plates no longer existed.

It was rumored that a long time ago, there was a special division of Array Masters known as Artifact Array Masters!

From this title alone, it could be easily inferred that Artifact Array Masters weren’t only proficient in Spirit Arrays, but also in Artifact Refining. Only by reaching a certain level of competency in both fields could one become an Artifact Array Master, and only Artifact Array Masters could refine Array Plates.

In general, Array Masters would have some knowledge of Artifact Refining; after all, arranging Spirit Arrays required a number of auxiliary tools similar to artifacts.

In the same way, Artifact Refiners also understood methods of arranging Spirit Arrays. The Spirit Arrays used in Artifact Refining were still Spirit Arrays. This was also the case with Alchemists.

However, under normal circumstances, one would not have deep knowledge of two such fields.

The Dao of Spirit Arrays was extensive and profound, so how could an Array Master have enough time and energy to also study Artifact Refining? Over time, the special existences called Artifact Array Masters disappeared.

An Array Plate refined by an Artifact Array Master, in a strict sense, was a self-contained Spirit Array.

It didn’t require setting up a complicated set of equipment, but could still perfectly play the role of a Spirit Array. In other words, as long as Yang Kai refined the Array Plate in his hand, he could arrange and activate that Spectral Cloud Array whenever or wherever he wanted.

Hearing Cai He explain this point, Yang Kai’s eyes lit up.

He had experienced the power of the Spectral Cloud Array in person. The strength of the Cloud Beasts inside wasn’t low, to the point where he had no confidence in beating them. Even Origin Returning Realm masters like Fei Zhi Tu and Ning Xiang Chen were completely trapped by it. With this Spirit Array at his disposal, Yang Kai’s strength would rise sharply and he would have another powerful method of combating his enemies.

Moreover, when their group had been trapped by the Spectral Cloud Array just now, it hadn’t actually displayed its full might; after all, no one was operating it so it was simply responding automatically.

If Yang Kai were to personally deploy it and drive the power of this Spirit Array, even a master like Fei Zhi Tu would have died inside.

This lost Array Plate was of great significance to Array Masters. If they could obtain and study it, they may be able to deduce the refinement method for Array Plates. This would obviously be far superior to having to arrange Spirit Arrays with cumbersome tools and equipment. And an Array Plate was akin to a type of artifact which, after being refined, could be received inside one’s body and taken out at will, meaning it would be impossible for others to steal.

There were so many advantages!

While Cai He was explaining these things to Yang Kai, his face was filled with complicated emotions and envy, so how could Yang Kai not know what he was thinking?

Although he didn’t openly bid for it like Du Si Si, Cai He obviously had the same intentions as her. It was only out of consideration for Yang Kai’s face that he didn’t directly raise the topic.

“Does Brother Yang understand the rarity and value of this Array Plate now?” Cai He asked with a face full of envy.

Yang Kai nodded, “I understand. Many thanks for dispelling my doubts, Brother Cai. If this Yang ever finds himself in desperate need and has to sell this Array Plate, he will definitely give priority to your Cai Family!”

Hearing this, Cai He was overjoyed and quickly cupped his fists, “Many thanks for Brother Yang’s good intentions. Although this Cai also hopes to obtain this Array Plate, I sincerely hope such a day does not come.”

Yang Kai chuckled, knowing that Cai He was being honest when he said he hoped the day didn’t come when Yang Kai went down in the world and became desperate for money. Yang Kai’s impression of this young man improved once more as he felt he was an upright character.

What transpired between these three Saint Kings was naturally not missed by Fei Zhi Tu and the other Origin Returning Realm masters; however, none of them minded, nor did they have any intention to interfere. After Cai He got up and left though, a thoughtful frown appeared on Yang Kai’s face.

[Artifact Array Masters… There are actually such special people in this world.]

Although such masters couldn’t be found elsewhere, there was definitely one on Dragon Cave Mountain!

Yang Yan was not only proficient in Artifact Refining, but also in arranging Spirit Arrays, so she was clearly an Artifact Array Master. Didn’t that mean Array Plates could also be refined by her?

Moreover, when Yang Kai obtained this Array Plate, he felt a faintly familiar aura lingering about it but was unable to identify where he had felt it before. Yet now, he couldn’t help feeling a bit suspicious.