"Heart of man..." Yue He let out a cold chuckle dripping with scorn, though she had no intention of stepping in to intervene. This Star Market had always been a place of turmoil. Setting aside the fact that they'd all been swallowed into the Taixu Realm, even out there in the real world, people were constantly fighting to the death right in the streets.
Yang Kai looked around and found that similar scenes were playing out everywhere. Every shop in the Star Market had been dragged into the Taixu Realm along with its inventory. Now that everyone was stranded here, completely cut off from the outside world, the goods inside those shops had naturally become hot commodities. Places like Spring Grass Hall that specialized in spirit pills and medicinal remedies were particularly coveted by the warriors. The shopkeepers and assistants tried their hardest to hold the line, but how could they possibly stop this pack of wolves and tigers? They were swept aside one after another, and the shop's contents were plundered clean.
"All of you, stop right now! Whoever dares touch Spring Grass Hall's merchandise—I'll have his life!" A sharp shout rang out, and in the next instant a middle-aged elder came hurtling over from nearby. He landed with a thunderous crash before the collapsed Spring Grass Hall, his piercing gaze sweeping in every direction with an air of dominance.
The Spring Grass Hall assistants lit up with joy upon seeing him and rushed to crowd around. One of them cried out, "Sir, you must give us justice! Not only did that brute steal our spirit pills, he killed the shopkeeper with a single slash!"
The newcomer glanced down at the shopkeeper's corpse on the ground, then lifted his gaze to the broad-shouldered man clutching the blade. "You killed him?"
The broad-shouldered man furrowed his brow, and a flicker of wariness crossed his eyes. But it vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared. He rested the large saber on his shoulder and let out a cold snicker. "Lord Kang, it's been a while."
The grey-haired elder surnamed Kang snorted coldly. "Ding Yi, you've got some nerve. You knew this man was mine and you still dared make a move? I think you're tired of living. Kneel down and cripple your own cultivation, and I might spare your life. But if you insist on being stubborn, don't blame me for showing no mercy."
The man called Ding Yi heard this and replied, "My, what magnificent authority Lord Kang wields."
He rolled his neck, then broke into a wide grin. "Out there in the real world, with Lord Kang's Third-Order Open Heaven cultivation, how would a man like me dare cross you? I'd have no choice but to grovel at your feet. But Lord Kang—have you forgotten where we are? This is the Taixu Realm! The Taixu Mist seals and suppresses all of heaven and earth. I wonder just how much of that Third-Order Open Heaven power you can actually bring to bear here?"
Lord Kang's face twisted with fury. "More than enough to kill you!"
Ding Yi stepped forward, saber in hand, and shot him a sidelong look. "Then I, Ding, would be honored to test Lord Kang's skills."
"Seeking death!" Lord Kang erupted in rage. Someone who had spent over a century bowing and scraping before him was now openly provoking him to his face—how could he endure that? The words had barely left his mouth before he shot forward, slamming a palm down toward Ding Yi.
But Ding Yi showed no fear. If anything, his eyes lit up, and he burst into laughter. "You old dog have been riding roughshod over us for over a hundred years. Today, I'm finally collecting some interest!"
From the way he spoke, it was clear there was old bad blood between him and this Lord Kang—otherwise he wouldn't have targeted Spring Grass Hall specifically.
The blade's radiance surged as he brought it slashing down. A savage, untamed power coiled along the saber's length, colliding head-on with Lord Kang's palm strike, plunging forward without hesitation.
Lord Kang fired off several palm strikes in rapid succession—boom, boom, boom! The two figures clashed and separated. Ding Yi was sent hurtling back dozens of zhang, crashing through the ruins of a collapsed shop. Lord Kang, meanwhile, retreated only three steps before steadying himself.
After a single exchange, Ding Yi had already been put on the back foot.
But the sight of it set the eyes of every warrior watching ablaze.
There was a simple reason: Lord Kang was a Third-Order Open Heaven cultivator. Out in the real world, Ding Yi wouldn't have stood a chance against him. Yet here in the Taixu Realm, though Ding Yi was still outmatched, he at least had the qualifications to fight.
The Taixu Mist really did seal and suppress heaven and earth. Everyone understood that now.
Rumble... like muffled thunder rolling across the earth. Ding Yi burst out from the collapsed building, saber in hand. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes blazed bright. He swept his blade forward and roared, "Brothers! Within the Taixu, there are no Open Heavens! This old dog has bullied us for years—today, follow me and take your revenge!"
At his words, every warrior who had been following Ding Yi lit up with fervor. They summoned their Artifacts in unison, and together they charged toward Lord Kang with a thunderous roar.
Lord Kang's expression changed drastically. Though the Spring Grass Hall assistants rallied to help him, the overwhelming disparity in numbers was impossible to overcome. Screams erupted as several assistants collapsed dead within three breaths. Even Lord Kang himself was struck by the combined power of several Artifacts, and blood sprayed from his mouth.
Seeing that the situation was beyond saving, Lord Kang gritted his teeth. "Ding Yi! I will repay today's grudge a hundredfold—you had better remember that!"
With that threat hanging in the air, he wheeled around and bolted toward the outskirts of the Star Market. Ding Yi led his followers in a desperate attempt to cut him off, but they were powerless to stop him. Lord Kang still had the foundation of a Third-Order Open Heaven cultivator. Though he couldn't unleash his full power in the Taixu Realm, when a man like that was dead set on fleeing, Ding Yi and the rest simply couldn't hold him.
Watching Lord Kang's retreating figure disappear into the distance, Ding Yi spat viciously on the ground, his heart burning with frustration.
Across the Star Market, countless eyes had watched the whole affair unfold. Thoughts varied from person to person—some rejoiced, and some despaired.