A place's foundation wasn't just visible things like its area. There were also many intangible benefits, such as the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, or its Laws. As the Qiaoqiao Grounds' foundation grew stronger, the power of its protective grand formation increased along with it, bringing various advantages.
This kind of growth wasn't surprising. Within this short period, hundreds of Open Heaven realm cultivators had died in the Qiaoqiao Grounds. Dozens of Red Star's Open Heaven cultivators had been slain here. In the previous great battle, countless Open Heaven cultivators native to the Qiaoqiao Grounds had also fallen—though most were insignificant lower-grade Open Heaven cultivators, their sheer numbers mattered.
Even mid-grade Open Heaven cultivators, seven or eight had perished.
The Qiaoqiao Grounds originally had three mid-grade Open Heaven Venerables. Two had died, leaving only Miao Yue, the Venerable of the Wood Spirit Earth, who had surrendered to save his own skin. The Qiaoqiao Celestial Lord himself had been secretly plotted against by Yu Xiushan and Zhao Baichuan, meeting an untimely death.
Three mid-grade Open Heaven cultivators were lost in that single battle.
Following that, Yang Kai, disguised and wielding the power of Yue He's fifth-grade Open Heaven, killed the Ouyang brothers, Madam Qin, and Bei Yushan. Zhao Baichuan also perished here—another five mid-grade Open Heaven cultivators.
It was the immense power of the world that dissipated from so many powerful Open Heaven cultivators upon their deaths that flooded the Qiaoqiao Grounds, causing its foundation to grow significantly.
This battle could be said to have yielded tremendous gains!
However, the current situation was somewhat awkward. The entire Qiaoqiao Grounds, aside from Yang Kai, Yue He, Lu Xue, and the newly surrendered Chen Tianfei, only contained two exotic beasts: the Scarlet Flood Dragon and the Earth Dragon.
Such a vast territory was utterly deserted and desolate.
Yang Kai released the others from the Small World, then let Guo Ziyan out of his Ruyi Bag. Only then did the place regain a spark of vitality.
Guo Ziyan was shocked when he saw Chen Tianfei, unable to understand how the fat man had become so thin. Upon learning that the Qiaoqiao Grounds now belonged to Yang Kai, everyone naturally erupted in jubilation.
The post-battle cleanup was headache-inducing, with the repair of the grand formation being the most pressing matter.
The protective grand formation had sustained numerous damages in the previous battle and required someone skilled in the Dao of Formations to repair it. This also demanded significant manpower and resources. Resources weren't a problem for Yang Kai.
In the Ruins of No Old, he had already made a fortune. Having killed Zhao Baichuan, he had also confiscated Red Star's thirty percent share of the profits. Repairing the Qiaoqiao Grounds' protective grand formation was easily within his means.
The key issue was manpower!
Where could he find experts skilled in the Dao of Formations? Even if he found them, could they be trusted? These were all problems.
In Yang Kai's plan, the Qiaoqiao Grounds would be his foothold in this Three Thousand World and also the foundation for everyone from the Star Boundary. But now, with a thousand threads to untangle, he didn't know where to start.
Several days later, the aftershocks of the great battle gradually subsided, and the injuries of the survivors improved significantly. Chen Tianfei, in particular, though his physique hadn't become plump again, was no longer as frail.
Meng Hong and the others came to take their leave.
He was a Disciple of the Great Moon Province. He had been accidentally drawn into the Ruins of No Old over a decade ago, with no news reaching his home. The Great Moon Province must have assumed he had met with misfortune. However, during these years in the Ruins of No Old, he had gained immensely. After all, he had broken through and then rebuilt himself. Using the Taiyi Purifying Spirit Water, he had washed away the third-grade power within his Dao Imprint and replaced it with fifth-grade power. From now on, he had the potential to achieve fifth-grade Open Heaven! Once he grew to the fifth grade, the status of the Great Moon Province would rise accordingly. As it was, he was now the complete embodiment of the Great Moon Province's future hope. Upon returning, he would undoubtedly receive the province's full cultivation support.
Now that he was free from the Ruins of No Old, it was only right to return to the Great Moon Province and report his safety. Yang Kai didn't try to keep him. Before his departure, he handed him a spatial ring.
Meng Hong accepted it, probed its contents, and his expression shifted slightly. "Senior Brother Yang, this is too great a gift. Meng Hong cannot accept it!" As he spoke, he tried to push it back.
Inside the ring were not mere objects, but several portions of fifth-grade resources—the very resources Meng Hong needed.
Yang Kai smiled. "Brother Meng previously gifted me the World Fruit. What are these few things compared to that? If anything, I've gotten the better deal."
The World Fruit Meng Hong had given him was a mid-grade World Fruit, capable of advancing a mid-grade Open Heaven cultivator by an entire grade. Even Yang Kai had very few of them, only three in total. He knew that even if he returned the World Fruit, Meng Hong wouldn't accept it. Meng Hong was a man who clearly distinguished between gratitude and grudges. Having received kindness, he would surely find a way to repay it. So Yang Kai had opted for the next best thing and found him some resources instead. After all, Yang Kai had plenty of those.
Furthermore, in terms of value, a single mid-grade World Fruit was far beyond what a few portions of fifth-grade resources could compare to.
Seeing Meng Hong still trying to decline, Yang Kai said, "The Great Moon Province is merely a third-rate force. I've met your leader—he's only a third-grade Open Heaven cultivator. Brother Meng, have you ever considered how long it would take for the Great Moon Province alone to gather the resources needed for you to advance to the Open Heaven realm? With your prime years ahead of you, why waste them waiting? With these resources, you can advance to the Open Heaven realm sooner and, in turn, uplift your sect."
The words, though harsh, were the truth!
Meng Hong fell silent upon hearing this. After a long moment, he heaved a heavy sigh and accepted the ring. "Senior Brother Yang's great kindness, Meng Hong will never forget!"
The main reason was that the Great Moon Province's financial strength was indeed not robust. To have the sect gather those fifth-grade resources for him alone was something he couldn't bear. If the entire sect's power were mobilized just to assist him, how would the other junior brothers and sisters have anything left for their own Cultivation? It was precisely with this consideration that he did not refuse again.
Yang Kai chuckled and patted his shoulder. "Brother Meng is too serious. Also, I've prepared a few things for your two junior brothers here, as well as for Old Fang, Die You, and A-Sun. Please take them all back for me!"