Yang Kai punched landed, causing some stone chip to fly from uber stone statue (called it this just for reference). However, there was no response from the uber stone statue.
Yang Kai tried again and noticed that his True Yang Yuan Qi that he used to punch the uber stone statue was absorbed!
After a few more punches, Yang Kai could see a hint of red light coming out from the uber stone statue, as some of his stolen Yang Yuan Qi fluctuates inside it. Suddenly, the uber stone statue’s hand started to slowly move, causing Yang Kai to be startled.
It was absorbing his Yang Yuan Qi as a power source! Thankfully, it only had a little bit of Yuan Qi from Yang Kai, otherwise, Yang Kai expected it to be moving as quick or even quicker than the normal stone statues.
When Yang Kai finally uncovered this fact, instead of stopping his attacks, his attacks became more ferocious.
Let’s see if I will destroy you before you get the chance to move! Yang Kai’s eyes glimmered with stubbornness. Even with his fist covered with blood, Yang Kai was relentless.
As the Yuan Qi the uber stone statue absorbed becomes more and more, it’s movements also became faster. It managed to lift it’s hand up, stone eyes’ locked onto Yang Kai, preparing to strike down.
However, the uber stone statue’s chest was full of cracks; due to Yang Kai’s relentless attacks.
The uber stone statue’s hand slammed down as quick as it could but Yang Kai managed to dodge the attack without a problem. Once the stone palm landed on the ground, a dust cloud formed as the strong wind currents produced by the collision made Yang Kai’s hair and clothing rustle.
*Rumble*
Quickly, Yang Kai’s two fist were coated in flames as the speed and power of his movements heightened.
*Bang*
Yang Kai’s fist collided into the uber stone tatue’s chest, causing the deep cracks to finally break down into bits of rubble. The uber stone statue took a fatal strike as its body quickly developed cracks all over, turning rubble.
Inside the rubble, Yang Kai managed to find a stone baby.
He had wasted enough time here. Yang Kai could hear the stone statues that he lured away were about to come back.
Yang Kai complexion sank as he quickly placed the stone baby into his clothing, in the chest area, and ran away.
Yang Kai took a circled route to avoid all the stone statues and returned back to the group.
When he arrived, Du Yishuang was extremely happy to see Yang Kai. “Yang Kai! We manage to find one stone baby!”
“Hehe, it seems that my luck is quite good.” Yang Kai chuckled as he avoided looking at Lan Chudie. However, when the girl saw Yang Kai’s fist full of blood, she quickly grabbed his hands and asked with knitted brows. “How did you get this injury?”
Her appearance looked kind and gentle, as though she truly cared for the well being of her Fellow Apprentice.
Yang Kai quickly withdrew his hands. “There were several stone statues that managed to catch up to me. In the end, I had to fend them off to escape.”
Lan Chudie was stunned for a moment but her composure quickly changed as she smiled. “As long as you’re safe, it’s alright.”
“Let’s not waste any more time. Let’s first distribute the stone babies and strengthen ourselves before doing anything.” Zuo An proposed.
Lan Chudie nods, “Yeah,” as she took out all five stone statues and placed them in front of the group.
The numbers of red veins within these five stone babies were the same. Thus, all of them were of the same grade of Martial Skill. Without obtaining the Martial Skills themselves, all group members would not know that type of Martial Skill the stone baby contained. Thus, their decision was entirely based up to luck.
After these few days of hard work, everyone’s eyes were glued onto the five stone babies. Their benefits in the end were based on luck. Nonetheless, even if they were to obtain something lesser than the others, they still obtained a Earth Grade Martial Skill!
“So, who should select first?” Nie Yong eagerly asked. Although he wants to be the first to choose, it was not good to self-proclaim it out loud.
“I think Yang Fellow Apprentice should get to choose first. After all, he was the one that took the most risk and also received some injuries. To be fair, he should be the first one to choose.” Lan Chudie smiled towards Yang Kai.
(Bloody cunning bitch. You will find out why in the next paragraph.)
The priority to select was actually of unimportantance. After all, the first one to select would not necessarily mean that the person would receive the best Martial Skill. This was the same for the last person to select. Hence, it did not matter who selected first. However, Lan Chudie proposed this just to seem as though she was fair and just. Planning for others to have a good impression of her.
(Although this isn’t mentioned in the novel, Lan Chudie had this planned as her redemption act for Yang Kai. Since it actually serves no real benefits, Yang Kai naturally does not take it into consideration and would still remember her earlier actions.)
How would Yang Kai not know her own thoughts? The boy impolitely nodded and said, “Since Female apprentice had said so, then I still be the first to choose.”
The boy conveniently took up one stone baby and retreated back.
Lan Chudie and the others also went up and chose based on their individual’s strength.
“Since we have all chosen our Martial Skill, we will each find a place to cultivate the Martial Skill first. After one day’s time, we will gather here again.” Lan Chudie told everyone.
Everyone nods and was about to leave to their respective places.
Du Yishuang, who was a little worried for Yang Kai tapped on his shoulder and said “Yang Kai, let me help0 to wrap up those wounds.”
Yang Kai did not decline, “Thank you”.
Lan Chudie departs after hearing the two’s conversation. Her delicate eyebrows slightly wrinkled as she walked off.
Since Du Yishuang needed to bandage up Yang Kai’s wounds, there was only Du Yishuang and Yang Kai left at the meeting location. “I’ll wait a while for you to check the stone baby for the Martial Skills. If you don’t find it useful, I don’t mind exchanging mine with yours. I don’t really need an Earth Grade Martial Skill.”
( Yang Kai ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ))
Yang Kai smiled, “there’s no need. Since this is an Earth Grade Martial Skill, anything that came out will definitely be good.”
“Well, aren’t you aloof?” Du Yishuang no longer pressed the issue. Once she bandaged up Yang Kai’s hands, she stood up, “I will go and cultivate my Martial Skills then. We will meet again tomorrow!”
Looking at her back, Yang Kai spoke, “If there are any problems that occur in the future, you know that I will probably leave the group.”
Du Yishuang did not reply but secretly in her heart, she said, I know…
This group was not united. The all members only participated in this group due to the unknown dangers inside a Heaven Cave Inheritance. What’s more, Lan Chudie is not a great leader. She is able to maintain the group in face value but for someone who only considers success and failure, the welfare of the group would not really matter to her. Hence, more than a group, we are mere tools for her to use. Even if this group were to continue, once they were to face a great danger, Yang Kai expects Lan Chudie and most of the rest to abandon him.
After everyone left, Yang Kai moved to a secluded location and took out the two stone babies from his clothe.
Yang Kai looked at both stone babies in his hands and smiled. The stone baby he found was extremely different from the one he chose from the group. The veins in the special stone baby was not only a lot more than the one he received from the group, it was also golden in colour!
What Martial Skill rank is this? Yang Kai wondered.
According to Lan Chudie, 30 veins would mean that the Martial Skill was at least an Earth Middle-Grade Martial Skill. Thus, the Martial Skill within this special stone baby could be either an Earth High-Grade Martial Skill or a much higher grade! A higher grade would mean a Heaven Grade Martial Skill!
When Yang Kai had thought of the possibility; his breathing became heavy and ragged. He was right to take that risk early on. The risk was truly worth its rewards!
However, which one to cultivate first? Yang Kai wondered.
The higher grade Martial Skill that he got with him will require more time than the other Martial Skill. That would also mean that it would take more time for Yang Kai to cultivate, learn and practice the higher grade Martial Skill. With the time limit of one day, he may not have enough time…
Yang Kai’s vision turned to the lower grade Martial Skill. Currently, the most important thing is to increase one’s strength in the shortest time possible to increase a person’s survival chances while having more opportunities to find more treasures.
Yang Kai started to concentrate on the lower grade Martial Skill. He poured his Yuan Qi into the stone baby as he memorized the flow of the Yuan Qi of the Martial Skill. After 2 hours, Yang Kai completely memories the flow of Yuan Qi to activate the Martial Skill but when he opened his eyes, he saw that the stone baby had completely turned to dust.
Yand Kai was not too bothered about the destruction of the stone baby. He had already gotten what he wanted. However, now he knew that the stone babies will only allow one person to learn its Martial Skill before turning to dust.
Yang Kai stood up and revolved his Qi around his body; similar to what he learnt from the stone baby. As expected, since this was only the first time practicing a Martial Skill, he was unable to utilize the Martial Skill that he had learnt. However, the boy was not discouraged as he immediately tried again after his first failed attempt.
After a few more tries, Yang Kai gradually got used to the flow of his Yuan Qi, within his 30 Meridians. He could feel his fist gradually becoming more powerful.
Finally, Yang Kai felt confident and focused all his might on an attack with this Martial Skill. He clenched his fist and it vibrated vigorously. Yang Kai continued to focus, trying to reach the most powerful state the fist can be. Suddenly, he slams his fist onto the ground!
*Bang!* a sound of a huge explosion occurred as the ground seemed the experience a miniature explosion. Yang Kai’s vision shivers as he could not believe the power of this Martial Skill!
What kind of Martial Skill is this? Isn’t this too powerful?