Chapter 810, Great Senior
Yang Kai had achieved a comprehensive understanding of the Nine Heavens Divine Skills back in the Holy Tomb, all he lacked now was real experience using them. Kuang Shi, a master with strength equal to a Third Order Transcendent, was just right for him to practice on. Yang Kai couldn’t have asked for more.
During the battle, Yang Kai continuously displayed the various Nine Heavens Divine Skills, becoming more skillful with them each time he did.
The Monster Race masters sitting up in the ancient tree also soon noticed that something wasn’t right. Kuang Shi wasn’t this human boy’s opponent at all, yet the fight was still continuing, obviously this human boy wasn’t taking this seriously!
“Big Sister Cai Die, this human is really interesting! How can he have so many different ways of fighting?” The cat eared young girl asked, her eyes shining brilliantly as if she had just witness a brand new world.
Cai Die gently nodded and patiently explained, “The Human Race doesn’t have a beast core or naturally strong physique like our Monster Race, but instead, by molding the True Qi in their bodies in special ways, they can display techniques called Martial Skills. Many Human Race martial skills are actually imitations of our Monster Race’s innate abilities. If you fight against human cultivators in the future, be sure not to judge them solely based on their appearance and physical strength. If you underestimate them, you’ll be the one to suffer a loss.”
“Good, I’ll remember,” The cat eared young girl nodded, suddenly excitedly saying, “Big Sister Cai Die, can you catch this human so I can play with him? He can use so many different tricks, I’m sure it’ll be lots of fun to play with!”
Cai Die was stunned by this innocent request, soon rubbing her forehead with a forced smile on her face, “I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
“Why?”
“Because…” Cai Die stops her words there and turned her eyes towards the top of Thunder Tree Palace, seemingly receiving some kind of instructions, and nodding firmly, “Understood!”
Saying so, she calmly turned her eyes to the battle down below and shouted, “Enough!”
Hearing this order, Kuang Shi immediately retreated from Yang Kai and directed a somewhat awkward look towards him, shaking his head wryly after a moment, “You brat, you’re quite fierce, fortunately I didn’t rashly attack you a few days ago when we first met, or I’m afraid I would have embarrassed myself!”
“Brother Kuang is too polite; your strength is by no means bad!” Yang Kai laughed back freely.
“Of cou…” Kuang Shi suddenly became proud, but upon noticing Cai Die’s cold eyes staring at him, he quickly swallowed back his words, turned around, and dashed into the jungle, his voice calling out from afar a moment later, “I’m off to patrol the area. Recently, the jungle hasn’t been peaceful!”
After he left, Yang Kai turned his attention to Cai Die and smiled lightly, “Have I passed your test?”
“Hmph, you think you’re so smart!” Cai Die grumbled under her breath, a clear look of disgust showing on her face, coldly shouting in the next moment, “Come with me, Great Senior wants to see you!”
Saying so, the wings behind the back flapped and she soared up into the canopy.
Yang Kai nodded and quickly followed after her as the Monster Race masters resting on the branches stood by and watched, many of them wearing unsatisfied expressions on their faces, as if the battle just now hadn’t been exciting enough for them.
The cat eared young girl simply pursed her lips as she stared at Yang Kai’s disappearing back reluctantly.
Flying higher and higher, Yang Kai realized just how enormous this ancient tree really was. Passing through the various wide and dense branches, as he followed after Cai Die, Yang Kai saw a number of Monster Race masters playing around as well as a large number of tree houses built right into the ancient tree’s trunk.
The entire ancient tree was like a giant family home with traces of Monster Beast activity everywhere one looked.
Seeing this, Yang Kai inexplicably felt a unique sense of cohesion and unity!
There was an incalculable number of Monster Beasts living throughout Tong Xuan Realm, but the number of Monster Race masters that had managed to assume human form was quite limited. As such, the Monster Race was far more united than the Human or Demon Race. The ones beneath each Monster Race Great Senior were closer to brothers and sisters than subordinates.
When Kuang Shi was being stared down by Cai Die, although he appeared quite scared, he didn’t once display a formal attitude. Amongst the Monster Race, everything that did not relate to survival and power, was apparently superfluous.
The human form Monster Race masters were few in number in the first place, and most of them chose to remain in their original forms; as a result, since entering the Beast Sea Jungle, Yang Kai had only seen ten or so such human form masters.
However, each of them was a true powerhouse.
The higher he flew, the denser the World Aura became, and Yang Kai was also keenly aware that the trunk of the ancient tree contained Thunder Attribute energy.
Probably because this ancient tree had bathed in Heavenly Thunder for over ten thousand years, it had taken on a powerful Thunder Attribute aura.
After a long upward flight, Yang Kai and Cai Die passed into a layer of clouds and became surrounded by a soft white mist that was almost like wisps of cotton one could grasp with their fingers. It was a rare and beautiful sight to behold. Amongst these white clouds stood a charming wooden house built right into the trunk of the ancient tree.
A powerful dragon’s breath pulsed from this wooden house, immediately drawing Yang Kai’s attention.
Feeling this powerful aura, Yang Kai secretly gulped.
“Go in, Great Senior is waiting for you inside!” Cai Die stopped in front of the wooden house and motioned Yang Kai inside.
“Many thanks!” Yang Kai nodded to her lightly before calmly stepping forward.
The first thing Yang Kai saw upon entering the wooden house was a middle-aged man sitting at a table quietly. This middle-aged man was quite handsome and wore a plain robes, appearing harmless to humans and animals. The only distinguishing feature he had were two horns only about as long as one’s finger sticking out from either side of his head.
The two horns were dyed a mix of red and blue and seemed to contain rich Fire Attribute and Thunder Attribute energy, flashing a dull light from time to time.
This was a true Peak Eighth-Order Monster Beast, the Monster Race’s Scarlet Flame Thunder Dragon Great Senior!
Yang Kai couldn’t help admiring this man silently.
The Great Senior slowly opened his eyes and stared at Yang Kai faintly, not showing the slightest aggression or probing intent, but under this gaze, Yang Kai felt somewhat uncomfortable, as if the man in front of him could see through all of his secrets.
Yang Kai quickly composed himself, sealed off his Knowledge Sea, and restrained his aura.
The Great Senior smiled lightly, his expression both handsome and imposing as he calmly asked, “Are you the successor of that guy?”
“En,” Yang Kai nodded, knowing the ‘guy’ this Great Senior referred to was the old Holy Master of Nine Heavens Holy Land.
“Your cultivation isn’t as high as his, but your aptitude is good.”
“Great Senior is too polite!”
“So, why have you come here?” The Great Senior continued, “The Beast Sea Jungle generally does not allow human cultivators to enter, those who do soon become food for my clansmen. Seeing as you are that guy’s successor, I gave him some face and didn’t let them immediately attack you, but if you dare displease me, I promise you your end will be very miserable. I had some friendship with that guy, but that doesn’t mean I have any friendship with his Sect, so… you’d best think carefully before you answer my question.”
Although his tone was light, Yang Kai could still tell there was a hint of annoyance in his voice. Perhaps this Great Senior felt Yang Kai was too young or too weak to be worthy enough to see and speak with him.
Yang Kai however just laughed fearlessly before pulling out the two Universe Bags he had brought with him, placing them on the table as he said, “I heard the old Holy Master and Great Senior were on good terms, as his successor, naturally I must visit Great Senior to pay my respects. After all, I may have business dealings with you in the future.”
The Monster Race Great Senior chuckled and didn’t even glance at the two Universe Bags, dismissively saying, “I was on good terms with that guy because I respected his strength. What do you have that can earn my respect? Perhaps you’ll have such qualifications a hundred years from now, but the current you… is insufficient.”
Yang Kai frowned slightly, “A hundred years? It won’t be that long, in at most twenty or thirty years… I’ll have such qualifications.”
The Monster Race Great Senior gently sneered and shook his head, “You’re certainly crazy enough… Since that’s the case, come here twenty or thirty years from now, that is, if you can live that long!”
His not so subtle meaning that Yang Kai appeared like the type to die young. This of course made Yang Kai somewhat unhappy.
Knitting his brow further, Yang Kai got to the main point, “Great Senior, do you have any interest in making a business investment?”
“An investment?” Great Senior squinted at Yang Kai before smiling lightly, “Invest in you? Why should I do that? If I can’t see any advantage in that, of course I won’t.”
Not waiting for Yang Kai to answer, the Great Senior pointedly asked, “Your days must not be feeling good about now, yes?”
Yang Kai nodded lightly, curiously asking, “Did Great Senior receive news about the Holy Land’s current state?”
The Great Senior slowly shook his head though, “I have no interest in inquiring about your side, but that guy, before he died, came here once and predicted this situation.”
“The old Holy Master predicted this situation?” Yang Kai was stunned.
“En, he knew he wouldn’t live much longer and told me that before he died he should properly handle the woman next to him, but after all, she was a companion he had spent his entire life together with so he couldn’t bring himself to discard her so even though he knew that after he died she would surely stir up a great storm… If my guess is right, you should currently be besieged by many people right now, yes?”
Yang Kai nodded solemnly, “Since Great Senior knows that much, you must also know the purpose of my trip.”
The Great Senior snickered as he slowly sat up in his chair, “I indeed know why you’ve come, but unfortunately for you, I refuse to lend you any help, no matter how many supplies you bring me. Why do you think the Monster Race has endured so long? It’s not because of the few masters we possess, but because we don’t intervene in outsider’s affairs. Once I leave the Beast Sea Jungle and enter your Human Territory, I can no longer control the situation. Don’t you humans have a saying, sticking one’s neck out makes it easier to chop off? Putting my entire clan in grave danger for some meager benefits, do you think I, a Monster Race Great Senior, would do something so short sighted?”
As he spoke, his eyes flashed a sharp light.
Yang Kai wore a forced smile as he replied, “Since Great Senior knows all this, I won’t speak any more nonsense. In truth, even if you don’t help me, the Holy Land’s people won’t be in any danger, moreover, we have we decided to temporarily abandon the Holy Land’s territory and wait for a day when we’ve accumulated enough strength to stage a comeback. However, during that time, I’d prefer the resources located within our nine spirit peaks not fall into the hands of those invaders; on the other hand, since Great Senior had some friendship with the old Holy Master, I thought it would be alright to let you take care of it for a while. It would also be an opportunity for you to improve your clan’s strength.”
Hearing these words, the Monster Race Great Senior frowned as he directed a cold stare towards Yang Kai, as if trying to see through his real thoughts at this moment.
After hesitating for a moment, the Great Senior said, “That Spirit Array of yours is very powerful and the World Energy aura is truly quite rich. If my clansmen were allowed to cultivate there, their strength would definitely improve rapidly, but that alone is not enough to make us leave the Beast Sea Jungle.”
“Then what if I leave you all the Holy Land’s Alchemist to help you refine pills as well?” Yang Kai suddenly suggested, “As far as I know, there is no one among the Monster Race who is proficient in Alchemy. On top of that, I can let the Holy Land’s Artifact Refiners stay behind as well. Before we come back, they can refine a large number of pills and artifacts for you. Of course, you’ll have to provide the materials, but I don’t think that should be too difficult for you.”