Martial Peak

Translator: Silavin & PewPewLaserGun

Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys

Huang Juan had lived here for several years and could barely be regarded as a half-native, so she knew where the Space Array was located. With her and Lin Yun’er, Yang Kai managed to arrive at the palace housing the Space Array without any effort.

The Space Array of Sea Side City was open to anyone as long as they could pay enough Saint Crystals, but there weren’t many destinations that could be reached from it.

After some consideration, Yang Kai chose Black Crow City as his next destination.

It was not that Black Crow City was the closest option to Flowing Flame Sand Field, but rather that Yang Kai had been to this city once before and knew that it was close to Clear Sky Sect. As long as he could reach Black Crow City, he could use his connections with Clear Sky Sect to easily teleport to the city closest to the Flowing Flame Sand Field.

This was a somewhat convoluted plan, but it was also the most efficient.

After paying a total of 600,000 Saint Crystals, Yang Kai and his party of three stood atop the Space Array, and when the light flashed, the three had disappeared without a trace.

Yang Kai had once visited Black Crow City together with Chen Shi Tao, Lu Ying and a few others. In this city, Yang Kai had found Qian Yue and gotten into a fight with Joyous Union Pavilion while trying to redeem her.

Yang Kai had no intention to linger in this city though, so after asking for directions, he took Huang Juan and Lin Yun’er and flew off in a certain direction.

Three days later, in front of another city several times larger than Black Crow City, Yang Kai landed.

“Sect Master, why did we come here?” Huang Juan looked at the three large characters above the huge city gate with a dazed expression.

“I have some acquaintances in this city, so it will be more convenient to transfer to our final destination from here,” Yang Kai explained faintly before glancing towards Huang Juan’s back where Lin Yun’er was sleeping with a big smile on her face.

Although this little girl had not exerted any strenuous effort during this three-day journey, she was naturally quite exhausted.

This couldn’t be helped as it was the first time since she was born that she had left Sea Side City. After leaving that day, she was simply curious about everything around her.

The rapid speed at which they flew also caused her to cheer happily, and when she saw a field of wildflowers she couldn’t help dancing amongst them before discovering birds and butterflies and chasing after them, hoping to catch and hold them in her tiny hands.

Such excitement was followed by fatigue, so she was currently sleeping soundly.

“Let’s go,” Yang Kai beckoned before leading the way towards the city.

Black Sea City! This city was adjacent to Clear Sky Sect’s headquarters and played essentially the same role as Heavenly Fate City did to Shadow Moon Hall. Naturally, Black Sea City was completely controlled by Clear Sky Sect.

Chen Shi Tao had invited Yang Kai to be a guest here many times, but he had never had a chance before, so this was his first visit.

Not long after, Yang Kai arrived at Black Sea City’s City Lord’s Mansion.

This City Lord’s Mansion could be regarded as one of the signature features of Black Sea City. It was a magnificent and majestic palace that was guarded by numerous guards wearing matching black leather armour and holding identical silver spears, each one showing a stern, imposing expression.

As Yang Kai and his group of three approached, these guards all focused their attention on them as one of them, who seemed to be their leader, called out, “Halt! This is Black Sea City’s City Lord’s Mansion, random passersby may not approach!”

This person had a Third-Order Saint King cultivation and immediately blocked Yang Kai’s path with a vigilant look.

Yang Kai smiled and cupped his fists slightly, “Hello friends, this one’s name is Yang Kai and I’ve come to discuss a matter with your City Lord, could you inform him of my arrival?”

“You’ve come to see Sir City Lord?” The man frowned, his expression a little impatient. Everyone who came here was looking to see the City Lord so it wasn’t a surprise that this was also Yang Kai’s purpose; however, just because someone came to see the City Lord, did that mean the City Lord would see them? If this guard were to report this matter without first clarifying this person’s identity, he would certainly be punished.

However, Yang Kai was clearly an Origin Realm master, so this guard did not dare act negligently. If it had been someone with lower strength, on the other hand, he would have already been driven away.

“Do you know Sir City Lord?” The man asked.

“Uh… No, I don’t,” Yang Kai shook his head honestly.

“You don’t know Sir City Lord?” The man’s face filled with astonishment.

“But I do know your Sect Master Gu Zhen,” Yang Kai added.

“You know the Sect Master?” This time this man was completely taken aback, the impatience on his face quickly receding and being replaced with one of shock. The Sect Master was essentially in secluded retreat all year round and not someone a random individual could see. Even this guard leader had never met face to face with the Sect Master, yet this man named Yang Kai claimed to know the Sect Master. Could he just be making things up?

“Yeah. I also know your Great Elder Mo Yu.”

The man could not help drawing in a sharp breath as he looked Yang Kai over once again, as if trying to re-examine him. Being able to know both the Sect Master and the Great Elder meant that this young man named Yang Kai must have a very high status, so why had he never even seen or heard of him before?

Although the guard leader felt quite puzzled, he didn’t dare to delay any more. The impatience on his face had already been discarded and he respectfully cupped his fists, “Please wait here for a moment while I report this matter to Sir City Lord. “

“En,” Yang Kai nodded lightly.

After the guard leader entered the City Lord’s Mansion, within a half a cup of tea’s time, a petite figure suddenly raced out and appeared in front of Yang Kai.

After seeing Yang Kai’s face, the person who had leapt out could not help pointing and saying, “Ah, it’s really you, Yang Kai! Why are you here?”

“Sister Lu Ying?” Yang Kai was also a little surprised. He had not expected that the first person to greet him from this City Lord’s Mansion would be Lu Ying and what’s more, Chen Shi Tao, who she seemed inseparable from, was not here.

But since he had met an acquaintance here, things were easier to handle. Yang Kai was still thinking about how to prove his identity to the City Lord he had never met before.

“I was just passing through and wanted to borrow the city’s Space Array, but why is Sister Lu Ying here? Where’s Sister Chen?” Yang Kai asked curiously.

“Senior Sister Chen has been in retreat since returning from the Emperor Garden. As for why I’m here, hehe… Black Sea City’s City Lord is my father,” Lu Ying replied with a grin.

Yang Kai was stunned. He had not expected Lu Ying’s status to be so high. Usually, she would follow behind Chen Shi Tao, as if she were a little sister or subordinate of some kind, so Yang Kai had thought she was just an ordinary disciple of Clear Sky Sect with decent aptitude. Now, however, it seemed her background was actually quite big; since Lu Ying’s father could become the City Lord of Black Sea City, he was definitely a Third-Order Origin Returning Realm master.

“Dissolute!” As the two were talking, a majestic voice boomed from within the City Lord’s Mansion. Immediately after, a middle-aged man with a solemn expression appeared and scolded, “Sect Master Yang is a Sect Master, how can you speak to him with such disrespect?”

This person was obviously Lu Ying’s father, the City Lord of Black Sea City.

Hearing her father’s reprimand, Lu Ying could not help spitting out her tongue playfully.

Yang Kai chuckled and said, “Sir City Lord need not be so serious. I have known Sister Lu Ying for a long time now and we are friends from the same generation. That relationship didn’t just disappear after this Yang founded a small sect.”

Hearing this, the middle-aged man’s eyes lit up, seemingly very satisfied with Yang Kai’s humility and demeanour, but he still shook his head and said, “That may be, but courtesy must be observed! Ying’er, greet Sect Master Yang properly.”

As soon as Lu Ying heard this, her lips formed into a pout, but she did not dare disobey her father’s command, so she saluted Yang Kai again with an unhappy expression.

Yang Kai was also helpless. Although he had only spoken a few words with this City Lord, he could see that this man had a relatively rigid personality.

After Lu Ying bowed, the middle-aged man also cupped his fists and said, “Greeting, Sect Master Yang. This one’s name is Lu Xuan and I have the honour of serving as Black Sea City’s City Lord.”

“Sir City Lord is too polite, this one has arrived here unannounced so I hope Sir City Lord will not take offence,” Yang Kai hurriedly replied.

“Sect Master Yang is too serious, you visiting Black Sea City is this City Lord’s honour. Please come inside first, this Lu has already sent a message to the Sect Master and Great Elder, but it will take the two of them about half an hour to arrive, so I’m afraid I must ask Sect Master Yang to wait a moment.”

“It’s fine,” Yang Kai lightly nodded, not finding this situation the slightest bit odd. He had saved Gu Zhen and Mo Yu in the Emperor Garden, so the two of them coming here to see him after receiving word he was here was not unexpected.

Once inside, Yang Kai found the atmosphere within the City Lord’s Mansion to be extremely lively.

Seeing the appearance of Yang Kai and his group, Lu Xuan arranged rooms where they could bathe and change their clothes. Yang Kai naturally did not decline this offer. It didn’t matter much to him what his appearance was, but allowing Lin Yun’er and Huang Juan to continue looking so dishevelled and downtrodden was really not appropriate.

Yang Kai only took a short time to refresh himself, but Gu Zhen and Mo Yu had already arrived before he was finished. After meeting once more in the main hall of the mansion, an enthusiastic exchange of greetings took place once again.

After a while, the host and guests were seated, with Lu Xuan having already prepared a lavish banquet. Exquisite dishes and spirit fruits were presented one after another, causing Lin Yun’er, who had never experienced this kind of life before, to swiftly move her hands to gobble up everything in sight.

The frankness of this little girl’s performance was not frowned upon, instead becoming a point of interest. Lu Ying sat next to Lin Yun’er and kept serving her various delicacies, apparently quite taken with this little girl.

On the contrary, Huang Juan was acting extremely cautiously. She had never thought that one day she would be able to sit at the same table with the senior leadership of Clear Sky Sect. After all, she had been so poor that she could not even scrape together five thousand Saint Crystals to buy a Hundred Spirits Pill a few days ago, yet now she had essentially been reborn.

She deeply understood that being able to receive such treatment was completely because of Yang Kai, so her feelings were understandably somewhat complex for a while.

A few hours later, the sky turned dark and the banquet wound down. Lin Yun’er, who was now filled to the brim with food and drink, was taken to rest by Huang Juan, leaving behind just Yang Kai and the leaders of Clear Sky Sect.

“Sister Chen also returned safely?” Yang Kai took a sip of some fragrant spirit tea and asked with concern.

“Thanks to Sect Master Yang, all three of us managed to come back unscathed,” Gu Zhen replied gratefully. This trip to the Emperor Garden was indeed filled with crisis, the most dangerous of which was the one where they had met Yang Kai. If not for Yang Kai arriving to rescue them at that critical moment, Gu Zhen and Mo Yu might have survived but Chen Shi Tao, who had the lowest strength of the group, would not have escaped unharmed.

However, after coming back, Chen Shi Tao had immediately entered a state of retreat. She had some gains in the Emperor Garden and had only recently broken through to the Origin Realm without even condensing her Shi yet, so she didn’t dare delay any longer, which was also why she had not exited to see Yang Kai this time.