Upon entering the grand hall, Yang Kai immediately felt a faint fluctuation of spatial power wash over him.
Looking more carefully, right in the center of the hall sat a space array, faintly radiating a soft glow. Numerous warriors stood guard around it, while hidden experts kept watch from the shadows.
This must be the central hub of Shuiyue Star's space array network, Yang Kai realized—otherwise it wouldn't be so heavily guarded.
Sure enough, Ao said, "This space array connects to the arrays at every major city and important stronghold on Shuiyue Star. It is an extremely vital asset."
Yang Kai nodded, sweeping his Divine Sense across it to grasp its internal structure. He wasn't particularly impressed, though—setting up a space array like this was no great challenge for him.
"Senior, you brought me here to see this. What would you have me do?" Yang Kai asked, puzzled.
"That's not what I wanted to show you." Ao smiled mysteriously and gestured for Yang Kai to follow. He led the way to the side, entering a side door that revealed a spiraling staircase descending downward.
Luminous pearls the size of fists dotted the walls, casting a soft, warm glow that kept the stairwell from feeling dim.
Ao led the way, and after roughly the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the two of them arrived at an underground location.
The space suddenly opened up before them. Yang Kai was startled to discover that underground lay an entirely separate world—a vast, cavernous chamber. The room appeared completely empty save for one thing at its very center: something radiating an ancient, desolate aura, standing silently there.
"This is..." Yang Kai's eyebrows shot up, and he hurried forward. Using the light of the luminous pearls, he circled what appeared to be an array formation spanning roughly five zhang in diameter.
"Is this a Super Space Array?" Yang Kai asked, staring at Ao in astonishment.
"Precisely!" Ao nodded gravely. "As you can see, this is indeed a Super Space Array—one capable of teleporting from Shuiyue Star to another star!"
"It no longer works?" Yang Kai asked.
"Indeed. Something went wrong with it at some point. According to the ancestral records, it has been unusable for over ten thousand years. Throughout the generations, every Guild Master of the Merchant Guild has hired someone to attempt repairs, but not a single one succeeded. Yang Kai, it is not that I distrust your abilities—it is simply that this matter is of utmost importance, and I must see it with my own eyes. If you can restore this array, I will believe everything you've said!" Ao declared with a solemn expression.
"What's so difficult about that?" Yang Kai grinned, looking surprisingly relaxed.
"You really can fix it?" Ao's expression suddenly brightened with excitement.
"I can." Yang Kai nodded. "But Senior, where does this array lead to?"
Ao's brow furrowed slightly, as though he harbored some reluctance. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "You have been open with me, and you and Xue Yue are well-matched—so you are hardly an outsider. I suppose there is no harm in telling you. Have you ever heard that within the Star Domain, there exist numerous Dark Stars?"
"Dark Stars?" Yang Kai raised his eyebrows, somewhat surprised. "You mean those stars hidden deep within the Star Domain that cannot be reached through conventional means and are invisible to the naked eye?"
"You really do know about them." Ao nodded. "They are precisely Dark Stars. The Star Domain is incomparably vast and conceals unfathomable mysteries. While Dark Stars are not abundant across the entire Star Domain, there are certainly no small number of them—they simply remain undetected by ordinary people. In the current Star Domain, every star of any value has already been claimed by the various great powers. Our Heng Luo Merchant Guild alone controls as many as eighteen. For any faction seeking further growth and strength, beyond expansion and conquest, the most reliable approach is to search for and develop Dark Stars. Expansion and conquest carry far too many unknown variables, whereas searching for Dark Stars is safe and convenient—though Dark Stars are so deeply hidden that they are extraordinarily difficult to locate. Even if you pass right by one, you might not notice it."
Yang Kai nodded. "I've heard about that. It is said that heaven and earth may form wondrous arrays within the Star Domain, concealing certain stars from discovery. The mysteries of these arrays are so profound that even a Void King Stage Three expert may not be able to discern their workings."
As he spoke, a thought struck Yang Kai, and he exclaimed in surprise, "Senior, you mean to say that this space array connects to a Dark Star?"
Ao's expression brightened slightly as he nodded. "Correct—it connects to a Dark Star. You may not know this, but the founders of our Heng Luo Merchant Guild once had a friendship with the Starry Sky Great Emperor. That Dark Star was discovered by the Great Emperor himself, who later informed the Guild's ancestors about it. This array was also personally set up by the Great Emperor back then."
It actually had something to do with Yang Yan?
Yang Kai was somewhat surprised, but he finally understood why this array before him was nearly identical to the ones he had set up himself.
Because it was Yang Yan's handiwork—and his own knowledge of space array diagrams had also been taught by Yang Yan. It would have been strange if they were any different.
Ao had expected Yang Kai to show some shock upon learning of the connection between the Great Emperor and the Heng Luo Merchant Guild's ancestors, but found Yang Kai looking completely unmoved. Surprised, Ao couldn't help but raise his estimation of Yang Kai even further.
Only someone with a truly steady temperament could remain so composed. What Ao didn't know was that Yang Kai had spent considerable time with Yang Yan—when it came to knowledge of the Great Emperor, no one in the entire Star Domain could surpass him.
He continued, "That Dark Star is a mineral star of immense value. Unfortunately, for over ten thousand years, our Guild has sat atop a mountain of treasure with no way to access it—a truly shameful failure to live up to the Great Emperor's trust. Yang Kai, if you can restore this array, you will be the true benefactor of our Merchant Guild. I..."
Ao stopped there, realizing he couldn't continue.
He had intended to thank Yang Kai, but the words caught in his throat when he realized he had nothing left to offer in gratitude. The benefits Yang Kai had brought to the Guild and to himself personally were simply immeasurable. What could possibly repay such a debt?
Selling the entire Merchant Guild might just about do it.