Martial Peak

Translator: Silavin & Raikov

Translation Checker: PewPewLazerGun

Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys

That day in Sword Pavilion's Star City, the mantis head may have died in his battle with Yang Kai, but Yang Kai did not get off unscathed. Being severely injured, he was helped out of the city by Lu Xue, who brought him to a remote cave to recover from his wounds. Yang Kai's restorative abilities were shocking, so in just a few days, he was almost fully recovered. He did not even say goodbye before leaving.

After all, in Yang Kai's opinion, the two of them were enemies, not allies. So, how could he still bid her farewell? He was already stunned that Lu Xue did not take the opportunity to try to kill him when he was so weakened.

He thought that the chances of them meeting again in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary was slim, but who knew that he would learn from the Scarlet Flood Dragon that Lu Xue was right outside of Scarlet Star's Star City.

The Scarlet Flood Dragon nearly had its head cut off under Lu Xue's sword when she sliced its neck back on the Yuan Magnetic Mountain, so it naturally hated her to the bone and remembered her aura well, which made it unsurprising for it to know her whereabouts.

Because of that grudge, the Scarlet Flood Dragon repeatedly came to find trouble with Lu Xue for the sake of revenge.

Unfortunately, Lu Xue kept on avoiding it. As soon as the Scarlet Flood Dragon approached her, she would run far away. Once the Scarlet Flood Dragon left, she would come right back. After a few back-and-forth sessions, the Scarlet Flood Dragon gave up.

But when it saw Yang Kai this time, it told Yang Kai about it, hoping that Yang Kai could stand up for it.

Otherwise, why would Yang Kai come here?

More than two months had passed since the last time they saw each other, and Lu Xue's injuries were much better now, though her aura was still slightly unstable. Her face was also pale, so she most likely still had a way to go before completely recovering.

"Did you need me for something?" Yang Kai asked. This woman showed no murderous intent, and her eyes had not the slightest bit of hatred as they looked at him. It was not likely that she came for revenge.

Lu Xue gave a nod.

"What is it? Just speak."

Lu Xue opened her mouth as if to say something, but she could not make out anything even after a long time. She looked troubled.

Yang Kai quickly grew impatient. He was in a hurry to go back to Crouching Dragon Mountain so he could cultivate and did not have the time to be wasting on this woman; thus, he flicked his sleeve, "I'll come back again when you're ready to talk."

After saying that, he turned around to leave.

Lu Xue's anxious voice then emerged behind him, "I wish to follow Sir!" Worried that Yang Kai would go just like that, she ended up shouting out a little loudly.

Yang Kai turned his head over and looked at her strangely, "What did you just say?"

He wondered whether he had heard her wrong; otherwise, how could she make such an insane request?

Lu Xue looked firmly at him and blushed before she dropped her head and declared, "I wish to follow Sir. Please grant my request!"

Yang Kai definitely heard her clearly this time, but it was still hard to believe. Lu Xue's actions at Sword Pavilion's Star City had been perturbing enough for him, but her request today was even harder to parse.

How could she not have a grudge against Yang Kai after being tortured half to death by the Golden Crow's True Fire? What's more, he had even killed hundreds of her fellow Sect members from Sword Pavilion. Even leaders like Zhong Fan and Luo Qing Yun were slaughtered by Yang Kai personally. Anyone would want to get revenge on him if they were in such a position.

But in Sword Pavilion's Star City, Lu Xue took the seriously wounded Yang Kai away and hid him in a remote place so that he could recover from his injuries in peace.

Even if she was generous enough to be able to put aside this hatred, her relationship with Yang Kai could only be described as 'the well does not draw water from the river', so why would she propose to follow him?

Yang Kai could not help but wonder whether she had any ulterior motives.

"I don't mean anything else by it. I just wish to follow you. The Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary is a dangerous place, and I want to leave here alive," Lu Xue looked up and explained.

If she had not witnessed the huge change that happened in Sword Pavilion's Star City, then Lu Xue might not have thought of such a thing, but even the Pavilion Master, who was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven Master, was killed. There were even traces of Divine Spirits appearing in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. How could she feel safe alone in this place?

After thinking about it, she decided that it would be safer for her to stick with Yang Kai. At the very least, he was the strongest one in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. If a great calamity came, then if there was anyone who could leave this place safely, it would most likely be Yang Kai.

The reason why she hid here was also because of her identity; after all, she was one of Sword Pavilion's leaders. If she were to openly enter Scarlet Star's Star City, she would definitely be captured. The reason she came around to this Star City was just so she could see when Yang Kai would come out, but instead of Yang Kai, she ended up encountering the Scarlet Flood Dragon several times.

Yang Kai looked deep into her eyes, as if he wanted to see into the depths of her soul.

But Lu Xue was unmoved, not showing the slightest guilt or falsehood.

After a moment, Yang Kai grinned, "Is that what you really want?"

Lu Xue nodded seriously, "Not a single word I speak is false."

"You really won't feel aggrieved?"

"Lady Yue He is also following Sir, and she is even more powerful than I. Does she feel aggrieved?" Without Yue He as an example, she might not have thought of such a request.

"Heh heh, you have a glib tongue," Yang Kai put his hands behind his back and shook his head slowly.

Lu Xue's face reddened slightly, "Is Sir worried? Worried that I may do Sir harm once I fully recover?"

She was already embarrassed to make such a request, so being bombarded with Yang Kai's questioning only made it harder for her. She was even beginning to become angry out of shame.

"Worried? As if!" Yang Kai snorted. A Fourth-Order Open Heaven cultivator was hardly any threat to him here in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, so he said decisively, "Since you've sent yourself to my door, it would be impolite of this King to refuse."

He wanted to see what this little girl truly intended to do. Rather than guess her motives, he might as well keep her by his side. If she truly had any ulterior motives, then she would surely expose herself. At that time, he could just kill her.

Striding towards Lu Xue, Yang Kai arrived before her in just a few steps. He then reached out and grabbed her waist, pulling her into his arms, "Do not resist!"

Lu Xue widened her eyes and in an instant, felt a masculine scent fill her nostrils. Panicking, she almost slapped him.

[What is he trying to do? Is he misunderstanding something here? I just said I wanted to follow him! I didn't mean anything else by it!] Lu Xue was desperate to cry but was unable to shed any tears.

She thought of resisting, but when she remembered Yang Kai's terrifying might, how could she possibly put up a fight in her current state?

Instantaneously a saying popped up in Lu Xue's mind, ['Like a sheep entering a tiger's cave!']

As a mess of thoughts filled her head, the space around her suddenly distorted, and she was plunged into darkness. The darkness devoured all of her vision, and she could not help but feel terrified.

In just an instant, her vision blurred before gradually restoring itself.

Yang Kai let go of her and grabbed his Azure Dragon Spear before walking ahead, "You have yet to fully recover, so focus on that. Do not bother me with trivial matters."

Moving a thousand metres away, Yang Kai began executing his Spear Secret Techniques again and soon immersed himself in his practice.

Lu Xue stared dumbfoundedly at him and it took a while for her to come back to her senses. She looked around herself, but quickly realized she was no longer on the same mountain peak. Instead, she seemed to be in another place, and she had no idea how far they had moved.

[A Dao of Space Teleportation Technique!] Lu Xue realized.

Only then did she realize that she had misunderstood earlier. Yang Kai wasn't trying to take advantage of her, he was simply pulling her through the Void and telling her not to resist for her own sake. If she were to make any moves while travelling through the Void, she might end up being devoured by it and never being able to find her way back.

Her pale face reddened slightly as she stood there quietly, watching Yang Kai dance with a spear in hand, sweeping across the sky.

Very soon, she picked up on something. Yang Kai's Spear Secret Techniques seemed inexhaustible, coming out one after another with a brave and fierce momentum. At times the moves were wide and sweeping, while at other times they were as dense as rain. They looked powerful, and clearly an ordinary cultivator would not be able to take even one attack from him. Even if a Fourth-Order Open Heaven Master such as herself was to challenge him now, she might not be able to last long before losing.

But there was some hint of incongruity.

Lu Xue frowned, not knowing what it was.

A few days later, Yang Kai began repeating the techniques anew.

A few more days later, the same happened.

Lu Xue counted the techniques silently. From beginning to end, the Secret Techniques that Yang Kai performed totalled 1,134. Each repetition was different from the last, and each execution showed greater mastery.

[So, that's it!] It finally dawned on Lu Xue as she understood what the incongruity was now, it was the level of mastery!

Despite Yang Kai's powerful stance and imposing momentum, he was actually similar to a toddler learning to walk. Each step he took through the Spear Dao was steadier and more solid than the last.

After a month passed, Yang Kai put away his spear and stood, frowning in thought.

He had gained a lot through this period of practice, but when he thought back to the mantis head's skills on that day, he could still see the great disparity between him and his opponent. His opponent's skills were so natural that he commanded his blade like a gazelle brandished its horns, showing no traces of awkwardness or openings, making it hard for one to defend against or even anticipate.

Could it be something wrong with the way he was practising?

Just as he was wondering, he suddenly heard a voice, "Is Sir practising Spear Secret Techniques?"

When he turned around, he saw that Lu Xue had already come over to his side.

Yang Kai nodded. If she had not spoken, he would have forgotten about her completely.

Lu Xue asked, "For Sir to study over a thousand Spear Secret Techniques, is Sir trying to gather the strength of a thousand clans?"

"I do have that intention, but I don't feel like I'm getting much out of it." Yang Kai was a little frustrated. He had grown a lot in the Spear Dao compared to the beginning, but it was still much less than he expected. It was most likely because he had not been practising for long enough.

Lu Xue commented apprehensively, "Sir's approach is very similar to that of an old friend of mine."

"Oh?" Yang Kai's eyes lit up, "Did your old friend also cultivate this way?"

Lu Xue nodded, "Yes, but the techniques that he collected were not as numerous as Sir's. He only knew around one or two hundred techniques to work with."

The reason Yang Kai could collect so many Spear Secret Techniques was because he had gathered them out of the Space Rings of tens of thousands of people. Even if they were in the Open Heaven Realm, it was unlikely for Lu Xue's old friend to have such an opportunity. Being able to collect one or two hundred alone must still have taken a lot of effort.

"And what became of his training in the end?" Yang Kai was eager to know.

"He succeeded." Lu Xue showed a reminiscent look, "He spent decades gathering the strength of a hundred clans, eliminating the bad and retaining the good, and successfully cultivated a sure-kill spear attack. That technique is his strongest blow. I have sparred with him, and even in the same Order of the Open Heaven Realm, it was difficult to resist."

"A sure-kill spear!" Yang Kai had a fascinated look on his face, but when he heard that it took this man decades, he felt a little speechless.

If gathering the strength of a hundred clans took several dozen years, then how many years would it take for him to gather the strength of a thousand clans?