Martial Peak

“Oh right, how are you intending to deal with Qiu Yi Meng and Luo Xiao Man?” Yang Kai’s brow wrinkled slightly as he asked, “Luo Xiao Man isn’t so important. Although her Purple Fern Valley isn’t bad, compared to you their influence is still somewhat lacking, but Qiu Yi Meng is a Qiu Family person.”

“Of course I understand the complexities of their identities,” Shan Qing Luo smiled softly, “But I can’t allow them to leave just yet, I’m planning to bring them to the battlefield tomorrow.”

“The battlefield?” Yang Kai asked curiously.

“En, most of the Great Han Dynasty’s major forces have been waging a campaign against the Ash-Gray Cloud Evil Land for quite some time now.” Shan Qing Luo casually replied to Yang Kai.

“What do you intend to do by taking them to the battlefield?”

“Naturally, I have my reasons. Why, do you want to accompany me as well?”

“No thanks.” Yang Kai stretched his body as he let out a light laugh, “I’ve finally achieved some degree of freedom, so why would I continue to follow you around just to be manipulated?”

“Hmph, what an ungrateful man, returning the sincerity I’ve shown you with such spite.” Shan Qing Luo glared at him bitterly.

“Ugh...”

Frowning, Kai Yang suddenly remembered something and asked, “Right, I’ve been meaning to ask you something. What are Evil Spirits, and what is this Evil Cavern?”

Shan Qing Luo was suddenly surprised, “Where did you hear about that?”

“That day when I fought with Le Yu, I heard others in the audience say that he had comprehended one of his Martial Skills from Evil Spirits that dwelled in the Evil Cavern.”

Hearing this, Shan Qing Luo nodded and didn’t ask about the grudges between Yang Kai and Le Yu that had lead to the fight; with her shrewdness, she could easily tell that the blame lay with Bi Luo for this incident.

Collecting her thoughts, she replied, “The Evil Cavern is a very strange and dangerous place, filled with beings we call Evil Spirits. Le Yu’s Demonic Purple Qi Body Martial Skill was obtained from there, but right now he’s still incapable of fully casting it. Why, do you want to check it out?”

“I had intended to.” Yang Kai didn’t deny it. After all, when he had refined those traces of Purple Spirit Demonic Qi left inside his body, he felt that their energy was somehow similar to the Evil Qi stored within his Unyielding Golden Skeleton, which sparked his curiosity. He wanted to find out what mysteries were hiding with the Evil Cavern’s Evil Spirits that lead to this induction.

If he was lucky, he might be able to uncover some of the secrets about his Unyielding Golden Skeleton there.

Now that chaos had descended upon the world and with the smoke of battle erupting all over, Yang Kai became acutely aware that his strength was still too low, and he was unable to make any significant impact on the overall situation. It was better to find a place to hone himself and enhance his cultivation so that he was better prepared for whatever came next.

“You want to go there...” Shan Qing Luo frowned slightly, apparently somewhat unwilling to allow him, but a sigh soon leaked from her delicate lips, “Alright, you seem to be cultivating some kind of Evil Cultivation Technique. Going there might lead to some gains for you, but the Evil Cavern is located in the territory of the Profound Yin Ghost King. The environment there is significantly worse than Fragrance City, it could even be described as a land where enemies are everywhere, so... I’ll send Bi Luo with you tomorrow, she knows the way there. With her, you should be able to bypass some troublesome places more easily.”

“Good!”

The next day. At dawn, Bi Luo ran over.

Since the day the two of them had engaged in their ‘joint activities’, this enchanting girl had never again appeared in front of Yang Kai, so upon meeting again for the first time, she couldn’t help but blush lightly. However, she still glared at Yang Kai fiercely and curtly said, “Mistress has instructed me to guide you to the Evil Cavern. You little bastard, even if you’re courting death, why must you pick that kind of place and force this Young Lady to take you there? Forcing me to run around like this, seriously, how annoying.”

Yang Kai could only laugh sheepishly and scratched his head while saying, “Thanks in advance.”

“Fine fine, do you have anything left to tidy up? If you don’t then let’s leave now, that place isn’t exactly close to Fragrance City. Going back and forth will take a few days at least.”

“Nope, let’s go.”

As the two of them were just about to leave the palace, they happened to bump into Shan Qing Luo who was accompanied by Qiu Yi Meng and Luo Xiao Man. It seemed like they had been waiting there specifically for Yang Kai.

As they glanced back and forth amongst themselves, Yang Kai noticed Qiu Yi Meng and Luo Xiao Man’s depressed and desperate expressions, which seemed to silently beg Yang Kai to say a few words for them in order to help them out of their current predicament.

However, after wrinkling his brow slightly, Yang Kai pretended not to see them anymore.

Since Shan Qing Luo obviously wasn’t intending to take their lives, and she must have some other purpose in bringing them with her, saying anything at this point wouldn’t be helpful in the slightest.

“I’ll take you part of the way. Half a day later we’ll separate, it’ll save you some effort.” Shan Qing Luo lightly smiled and waved her hand. A gentle Qi wrapped all of them up before she directly flew out of Fragrance City.

Feeling this gentle, breeze-like Qi enshroud him, Yang Kai couldn’t help but frown. Qiu Yi Meng and Luo Xiao Man also despaired, realizing once again just how futile trying to escape from the Beguiling Demon Queen’s hands would be.

Speeding through the air, in an instant, they had already traversed a few thousand meters.

As they flew, Shan Qing Luo whispered to Yang Kai, “The Evil Cavern is located in the Profound Yin Ghost King’s territory, but with my Seal, no one should provoke you. Nevertheless, you and Bi Luo should still try to avoid stirring up trouble, the people there are not as amenable as Fragrance City’s residents. Bi Luo will only be able to take you there before she has to return.”

“En,” Yang Kai nodded slightly.

“There are many Evil Spirits that live inside the Evil Cavern, every year many people obtain benefits from them but even more people die to them. Don’t dive too far into the cavern, if you encounter some of the more powerful Evil Spirits that dwell further inside you’ll certainly die!”

“What exactly are Evil Spirits?” Yang Kai frowned.

“Evil Spirits are... they’re a partial solidification of Demonic Qi and Evil Qi which makes them difficult to cope with. They possess no sentience but are incredibly aggressive, and as long as they sense living creatures they’ll attack.”

“What benefits can be obtained there other than learning Martial Skills?” Yang Kai asked. Shan Qing Luo seemed quite familiar with the Evil Cavern so naturally, he wanted to gain as much intelligence about it from her as possible.

“Besides obtaining and cultivating some special Martial Skills, after you defeat one of those Evil Spirits they’ll leave behind some of their essences. This essence is a type of energy that can be absorbed and refined, allowing one to increase their cultivation, it’s for this reason that the Evil Cavern, despite its dangers, continues to draw many cultivators who want to gain life experiences as well as strengthen themselves. Not only disciples from the Ash-Gray Cloud Evil Land’s sects, there are even many outsiders who disguise themselves and come here, hoping to gain some advantages.”

“I see!” Yang Kai nodded.

“However, there are also some Evil Spirits inside that posses some special things, such as odd Martial Skills like Le Yu’s Demonic Purple Qi Body, but all of these Martial Skill are basically Evil Skills. Another example is a type of essence that strengthens one’s Spiritual Energy, there have been a few people who have come across such things and had their Spiritual Energy enhanced greatly.”

“Is there really such a wondrous thing?” Yang Kai’s interest was suddenly piqued when he heard there was a chance to obtain some Precious Treasures which could enhance his Spiritual Energy.

“There are indeed many good things to be had inside the Evil Cavern, but it all depends on your ability to earn them.” Shan Qing Luo smiled lightly.

“En, such treasures existing, the Heavens and Earth are vast and mysterious.” Yang Kai became more and more aware of this fact ever since his last expedition to Nether Mountain.

“Long ago, I once heard from my mother that the Evil Cavern was connected to another place...” Shan Qing Luo said, chuckling slightly, obviously not taking this anecdote too seriously.

“Another place? Where?”

“The Demon World...”

Everyone else in the group had a light flash past their eyes. None of them had ever heard about such a place.

“Who knows, maybe it’s true. How else could you explain the presence of those Evil Spirits which only exist there.”

“You’re joking, right?” Yang Kai sneered lightly.

“Hehe... it’s just something my mother heard from her mother...” Shan Qing Luo smiled as she said offhandedly.

“Yang Kai, are you planning to go to this Evil Cavern for life experience?” Qiu Yi Meng’s beautiful eyes shimmered, as she asked him.

“En.” Yang Kai nodded.

“Could you bring us with you? I’d like to experience that place too.” Qiu Yi Meng’s smiled sweetly.

Shan Qing Luo glanced meaningfully towards her after hearing this.

Qiu Yi Meng laughed dryly, “I can be of help to him, with more people it will be safer. After all, my strength isn’t low.”

“Rest assured, I don’t intend on mistreating you two,” Shan Qing Luo said softly. “I’m simply taking you to the battlefield so you can see for yourselves exactly how those who’ve come to attack the Ash-Gray Cloud Evil Land act.”

Qiu Yi Meng was stunned for a moment before understanding at least part of what Shan Qing Luo’s intentions were.

“In fact, good and evil aren’t as clearly defined as you may think. In this world, things aren’t that black and white!” Shan Qing Luo’s always soft and enchanting voice at that moment actually took on a serious and slightly helpless tone.

Half a day later, their group parted ways. Shan Qing Luo brought Qiu Yi Meng and Luo Xiao Man away while Yang Kai and Bi Luo continued on towards the Profound Yin Ghost King’s territory.

The Profound Yin Ghost King had the appearance of an evil ghost. Amongst the six Great Evil Kings his strength ranked near the top, a very difficult opponent. Once, the Ghost King also had some intentions towards the Beguiling Demon Queen’s beauty and even employed some underhanded means in an attempt to seize her only to have the previous generation’s Beguiling Demon Queen rescue her, so he and Shan Qing Luo didn’t have a very good relationship.

Between the two big territories, there had even been some conflict.

Therefore, even though Bi Luo had Shan Qing Luo’s Demon King’s Order, she really didn’t dare show it lest it draw unwanted attention from cultivators loyal to the Ghost King.

The two proceeded cautiously towards the Evil Cavern, however their journey was relatively uneventful, as they did not encounter any major problems.

Occasionally, they would encounter some other cultivators, but each time both sides would only be vigilant towards one another and neither rashly took action.

Three days later, the two arrived within three kilometers of the Evil Cavern.

Upon reaching here, Bi Luo stopped and pointed to the front. “Where you want to go is right ahead.”

“En,” Yang Kai gazed ahead, but to his surprise didn’t discover anything unusual there, not even signs of Demonic Qi like he had imagined.

“Hey, you little bastard, once you go, do your best not to die!” Bi Luo snorted unhappily.

Hearing this, Yang Kai stared towards here and suddenly chuckled, “What’s this? Why do you care so much about whether I live or not? Have you perhaps fallen for me?”

“Bullshit!” Bi Luo shouted, “This Young Lady liking you? I’d sooner fall in love with dog crap! There’s nothing between us at all! Let me warn you, you better forget about what happened that last time, neither of us owes the other anything! If you dare spread around any nonsense about it I’ll castrate you!”

As Bi Luo continued scolding him, Yang Kai suddenly rushed up, wrapped his arms around her waist and back, pulled her towards him, and fiercely sealed her lips

“Em... mmm!” Caught by surprise, Bi Luo struggled fiercely to escape.

However, Yang Kai quickly released her and laughed as he turned around and quickly left.

“Bastard!” Bi Luo blushed furiously, biting her lips as a residual feeling and taste spread across them.

[As long as I live, I’ll never allow a man to touch me again!] Bi Luo cursed to herself.

Waiting until Yang Kai had disappeared from sight, Bi Luo coldly snorted before turning away as well.

Crossing the final three kilometers or so, Yang Kai came across a dark hole leading into the ground. Standing beside this pit, he felt an eerie wind blow past him that sent a chill across his skin, which not only made his body feel cold but even caused his Soul to feel uncomfortable.

[Worthy of being an Ominous Ground, it really is unusual...] Yang Kai secretly thought.

Circulating his True Yang Secret Art slightly to disperse this cold feeling, Yang Kai quickly jumped into the cave with the wind whistling past him as he quickly fell into the abyss.