A hundred years was truly the blink of an eye for someone like Yue He, an Open Heaven Realm cultivator, but for Yang Kai, it was a different matter entirely.
The situation back in the Star Boundary was unstable — the world was in crisis, its Laws crumbling. If they didn't find the World Tree soon to mend the heavens and earth, the Star Boundary would eventually collapse.
A hundred years was such an impossibly long time. Could the Star Boundary hold out until then?
"Young Master, what are you thinking about?" Yue He noticed the shifting expressions on Yang Kai's face and couldn't help but ask.
Yang Kai frowned at her, exasperated. "You're at least an Open Heaven Realm cultivator — a Fifth-Order one at that. Why do you insist on degrading yourself like this?"
Yue He looked at him curiously. "How am I degrading myself?"
Yang Kai shook his head. "I'm merely an Emperor Realm cultivator. How could I possibly merit you calling me 'Young Master'?" She'd said the same thing to that Elder Kang before as well.
Yue He covered her mouth and giggled. "You mean that? I'm happy to do it — what's it to you?"
"Suit yourself!" Yang Kai didn't want to dwell on the topic any further. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "There's something I'd like to ask you about."
Yue He straightened her expression. "Go ahead."
"The Yin-Yang Five Elemental powers within my Dao Seal — won't frequent use of them affect the seal in some way?"
Yue He was stunned. "How would it affect anything? It's your own power. It will always be your power." Then she furrowed her brow slightly. "Don't tell me you didn't even know that? Didn't Lan Youruo ever explain it to you?"
Yang Kai said, "I've only been in the Outer Expanse for a little over a year. There's a lot I still don't understand. The Madam never paid much attention to my Cultivation."
Now that he thought about it, he realized she had a point. These were powers residing within his Dao Seal — what could possibly go wrong from using them? Back at the Seven Profound Temple, he'd frequently channeled the Wood Element power to help the Fire Spirit Fruit Tree grow.
Looking back now, he'd been trapped in a bit of a mental blind spot.
Yue He's delicate mouth fell open in shock. "You've only been in the Outer Expanse for a little over a year?"
"Is there a problem with that?"
Yue He slowly shook her head. "I assumed you'd been with Lan Youruo for a long time. So that's how it is. How many types of power have you condensed so far?"
There was no need to hide this, and since he was seeking her guidance, Yang Kai answered honestly. "Two — Wood and Fire."
Yue He explained, "The Yin-Yang Five Elemental powers each have their own properties. The Wood Element is brimming with vitality, suited for healing and recovery. The Fire Element is fierce and scorching, suited for offense. The Metal Element is sharp and penetrating — if channeled into an Artifact, it can greatly enhance its power. The Earth Element is solid and heavy, offering remarkable defense. The Water Element is formless, balancing healing, defense, and offense in one. As for the Yin and Yang forces, each has its own distinct effects. In battles below the Open Heaven Realm, combat essentially comes down to the quality and control of these Yin-Yang Five Elemental powers."
Yang Kai's expression grew thoughtful. He nodded. "I see. Thank you!"
Yue He said, "Hit me with a palm strike — let me test it."
As she spoke, a layer of earthy yellow light suddenly manifested across her skin. Within that glow, the Earth Element power condensed with extraordinary density — clearly, Yue He had channeled the power from her Dao Seal to form a defensive barrier.
Yang Kai casually delivered a palm strike, genuinely curious to test this mode of combat and thus holding nothing back. His palm glowed a deep, searing red as scorching power surged forth.
With a thunderous boom, Yue He's body shuddered. The earthy yellow light condensed on her surface rippled outward in a visible wave, then caved inward violently. Not only that — Yang Kai's palm sank right into the barrier as well, and the solid defense looked as though it would shatter at any moment.
Fortunately, Yang Kai immediately withdrew his palm.
Yue He's beautiful eyes widened in shock as she stared at him in disbelief. "What order of Fire Element did you condense?"
"What do you mean?" Yang Kai looked at her.
Yue He murmured, "I just said it — battles below the Open Heaven Realm come down to the quality and control of Yin-Yang Five Elemental powers. I condensed Fifth-Order Earth Element power. With a barrier formed from that, anything below Fifth-Order would struggle to pose any real threat to me, unless the attacks were sustained over a long period. But you nearly broke through my defense with a single palm strike... Did you condense Sixth-Order Fire Element? No — even Sixth-Order Fire shouldn't have that kind of power. You... could it be Seventh-Order?!"
At those words, Yue He clapped a hand over her crimson lips, her eyes trembling with shock.
Yang Kai was equally stunned. He hadn't expected that a casual test would lead Yue He to such a deduction. Her reasoning was off the mark, of course — the Golden Crow's True Fire was far beyond Seventh-Order!
"Damn it!" Yue He's face turned deathly pale. "Lan Youruo has gone completely mad — how could she dare do something like that!"
For reasons Yang Kai couldn't quite understand, her expression had turned terrifyingly grim. She shot to her feet as she spoke, both fists clenched tight, her knuckles white.
"What does the Madam have to do with this?" Yang Kai frowned.
Yue He said through gritted teeth, "Wasn't that woman the one who helped you condense your Fire Element power?" Yang Kai had already said he'd only been in the Outer Expanse for about a year — what means or ability could he possibly have to find such a high-grade Open Heaven material?
After all, a Seventh-Order material was worth over a hundred million Open Heaven Pills! She didn't believe Yang Kai had that kind of wealth, and even if he did, such things couldn't simply be bought with money. Unless the Madam had helped him.
Her speculation was perfectly natural — but she had no idea that Yang Kai had his own extraordinary fortunes.