Old Bai grinned proudly. "I'm about to break through to Open Heaven!"
Yang Kai's expression turned serious. "Truly?" For anyone who tirelessly pursued the martial path, this was cause for immense celebration. Beyond the heavens of the universe, the Open Heaven Realm was a watershed — those above it and those below it were fundamentally different beings.
A lifetime spent chasing martial perfection, and in a single leap into Open Heaven, a fish became a dragon!
He recalled now that he had seen Old Bai fight before at the Wind and Cloud Auction House. The Five Elements energy had circulated around his body — clearly at the half-step threshold. Now it seemed Old Bai was only a hair's breadth away from Open Heaven. He had likely already condensed six types of power; all that remained was the final one, and his achievement would be complete!
"Congratulations!" Yang Kai clasped his fists in salute, genuinely happy for him and a touch envious. Old Bai was about to make his mark. As for himself, who knew when he'd manage it.
Old Bai laughed heartily, his spirits soaring, and slapped Yang Kai on the shoulder. "From now on, when the two of us head out, let's see if the likes of Yun Zhenhua dare give us trouble again."
Yang Kai raised an eyebrow at that. "What grade are you aiming for?"
The way Old Bai spoke, he clearly didn't think much of Yun Zhenhua at all — and Yun Zhenhua was a Fourth-Order Open Heaven cultivator. For Old Bai to speak with such confidence, he obviously intended to aim higher than Fourth-Order.
Old Bai bared his teeth and held up an open hand.
"Fifth-Order!" Yang Kai understood immediately.
The Boss snorted from the side. "You haven't even secured the materials yet, and you're already running your mouth. Aren't you afraid you'll paint yourself into a corner?"
Old Bai's face immediately fell. "Boss, don't jinx it like that! I've been building my foundation steadily for a full thousand years. Nothing should go wrong."
The Boss adopted a stern tone. "On the path of martial arts, even the slightest carelessness can lead to total failure. If you're going to face your breakthrough with that kind of attitude, you'd better wait another hundred years."
Old Bai's expression sobered at once. He bowed respectfully. "The Boss speaks truly. I'll keep your words in mind. When the time comes, I'll give it everything I have — do my utmost and leave the rest to heaven!"
The Boss regarded him deeply, her tone softening considerably. "I was the one who guided you from the very start. Every step of your foundation was laid solidly. As long as you can keep a steady mind when the time comes, the breakthrough shouldn't present much of a problem."
"Yes!" Old Bai answered respectfully.
"Go make your preparations. We leave in three days." The Boss waved her hand.
Old Bai acknowledged the order, bowed, and took his leave.
Watching him walk away, Yang Kai wore a look of envy. Then he heard The Boss speak again: "You should prepare too. We'll all leave together in three days."
"Me?" Yang Kai was taken aback, then immediately grasped her intention. A warrior breaking through to Open Heaven was an exceedingly rare spectacle — something ordinary people could hardly ever witness. The Boss was going to take him along to observe! With that experience under his belt, when the day came for his own breakthrough to Open Heaven, it would undoubtedly yield twice the results with half the effort.
Overjoyed, he grinned. "Thank you, Boss! Your great kindness, this humble subordinate will never forget. In the future, I shall repay you with unwavering devotion!"
"Smooth talker — now get lost!" The Boss huffed, flicked her sleeve, and swept Yang Kai right out the door.
Three days passed in a flash.
That morning, outside the door of the First Inn, The Boss instructed the accountant, the cook, and the others to keep the inn running smoothly. Then she led Yang Kai and Old Bai straight up into the sky beyond. They passed through the Void Crossing and summoned the tower ship, setting off at full speed toward a distant point in the void.
Compared to the excitement and agitation of three days ago, Old Bai's state of mind had visibly settled. He was calmer than he had ever been before.
The Boss stood at the bow of the ship, leaning against the railing as she gazed upon the breathtaking scenery of the void. Yang Kai and Old Bai stood behind her, the three of them hurtling forward together.
They flew for the better part of a day with no sign of the ship slowing down. Yang Kai finally asked curiously, "Boss, where exactly are we headed?"
The Boss's hair whipped in the wind as she answered without turning her head. "To find the last material needed for the Open Heaven breakthrough."
Yang Kai was surprised. "You haven't secured the final material yet?"
He had assumed from Old Bai's excitement that everything was already gathered. It turned out they still needed to search for it.
Old Bai explained, "Fifth-Order Yang Fiend essences are incredibly rare. The moment one appears, countless people fight over it. Fortunately, our First Inn has excellent intelligence networks, and our people caught word that a Fifth-Order Yang Fiend essence had surfaced in the Golden Rainbow Domain. Otherwise, why would we fly this far?"
Yang Kai understood. He had assumed they were flying so far simply to find a secluded spot where Old Bai could break through in peace, but there was another reason entirely. And from what Old Bai had said, it was specifically a Yang-attribute power that he was missing.
He couldn't help frowning. "If that's the case, wouldn't there be a fight over it?"
Old Bai flashed a grin. "The location is extremely hidden — hard for ordinary people to find. It shouldn't be discovered by anyone else. All we need to do is go there and absorb it."
Yang Kai nodded.