This Sealed Yang ground wasn't very large — roughly the size of two star cities. Following the source of the Yang Qi, the trio soon arrived before a lake. The lake's surface shimmered with light, its waters clear, yet Yang energy surged upward from it. This was unmistakably a place where Yang Essence gathered.
The Boss extended her divine sense to probe the area for a moment, then nodded slightly. "It really is Fifth Grade Yang Essence, just as expected."
Upon hearing this, Old Bai's spirits soared. He clasped his fists and said, "The Boss, I'm heading in!"
"Be careful!" The Boss reminded him.
Yang Kai also clasped his fists. "Old Bai, may fortune smile upon your martial path!"
Old Bai flashed him a wide grin. "Wait for my good news!" His figure blurred as he plunged into the lake. The water barely rippled. Under Yang Kai and The Boss's watchful eyes, Old Bai dove like a fish to a spot deep at the bottom of the lake. There, a mass of extraordinarily pure Yang Essence had gathered. Old Bai dove straight into it, sat cross-legged, and silently circulated his profound technique. His expression was more solemn than it had ever been.
A thousand years of cultivation, all for this day. Old Bai was giving it everything he had.
After watching for a while and confirming that Old Bai had fully devoted himself to absorbing the Yang Essence and condensing his final Yang-element power, The Boss led Yang Kai on a stroll along the lake's edge, occasionally forming spiritual seals and sending formation flags into the air.
Though this place was secluded, one could never be too careful. Old Bai's breakthrough to the Open Heaven realm was of the utmost importance and allowed for no negligence. That was why even though The Boss had personally come to stand guard, she still set up a formation here to prevent Old Bai from being disturbed.
It took an hour. The Boss drove sixteen formation flags into the ground around the lake. When the last flag was set, her graceful hands danced through seals, and she let out a clear shout: "Activate!"
Without a sound, a thick mist billowed outward from the lake's edge, enveloping the entire lake. Nothing else could be seen.
Yang Kai had followed behind The Boss the entire time, watching silently. Although he didn't know what kind of attacks this formation could withstand, anything crafted by The Boss shouldn't be too shabby. Moreover, The Boss was a Sixth Grade Open Heaven master — a figure of considerable renown across the Three Thousand Worlds. With her presiding over this place, backed by a formation, even if someone stumbled in by accident, there was no need to worry about Old Bai being disturbed.
After finishing, The Boss glanced back toward where Old Bai was and said softly, "The rest is up to him."
Breaking through to the Open Heaven realm meant condensing seven types of power — Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements — and creating heaven and earth within one's own body. Once successful, a small Universe world would be born inside the martial artist. At that point, there would be no need to draw upon the power of heaven and earth from outside; they could harness that cosmic might solely through themselves. This was the greatest defining feature of the Open Heaven realm.
Great Emperors needed to rely on a specific world to wield the power of heaven and earth, but Open Heaven masters did not, for they already had a world within themselves. Moreover, compared to Great Emperors of the various worlds, the power that an Open Heaven master could unleash was capable of growth. The magnitude of that power was closely tied to the strength of their inner world.
This was something no outsider could help with. The Boss had only come here to stand guard for Old Bai, just in case.
Strolling to a small earthen hill about three li from the lake, The Boss waved her hand and produced a table, two chairs, and a tea-brewing set, which she arranged on the table.
Seeing this, Yang Kai didn't need to be told — he started brewing the tea himself. In the past, he definitely wouldn't have been willing to do something like this, but after receiving The Boss's kindness time and again, his impression of this woman had changed dramatically. Gone was the initial resistance and hostility.
However, what came with that change were certain questions he'd been holding back.
Soon the tea was ready. The Boss sipped it elegantly while chatting with Yang Kai in a leisurely manner, occasionally letting out a bright laugh.
From her, Yang Kai heard many tales of famous figures beyond this Universe, and time passed surprisingly quickly.
Three days passed in a flash, and there was still no movement from within the lake's formation. But Yang Kai knew this couldn't be rushed. Old Bai first had to condense his own Yang-element power before he could attempt the breakthrough to the Open Heaven realm. It was absolutely not something that could be accomplished in just a few days.
Five more days later, at a certain moment, The Boss — who had been chatting with Yang Kai — suddenly straightened her expression. Her beautiful eyes fixed upon the lake's formation. Those gem-like eyes seemed capable of piercing through the void, gazing into the formation's interior. She called out in a low voice, "It's starting!"
Hearing this, Yang Kai's expression grew serious too, and he turned to look in that direction. Unfortunately, he lacked The Boss's strength and perception. All he could see was the churning mist of the great formation — nothing else.
Still, Yang Kai could sense the difference between today and before. The formation around the lake had been still and quiet previously, but today the mist was rolling and surging, clearly indicating that something was happening inside with Old Bai.
Yang Kai couldn't help but grow tense. "The Boss, what are Old Bai's chances of success?"
The Boss shook her head slowly. "That's impossible to say. Even someone with a heaven-defying talent faces the risk of failure. It all depends on his own fortune."
She'd said it without saying anything, but the path of cultivation had always been like this.
As they watched tensely, The Boss suddenly furrowed her elegant brows, uttered a soft "hmm?", and looked in a particular direction.
That direction was the very entrance to this Sealed Yang ground.