"You all know something I don't, don't you?" Yang Kai asked.
Everyone fell silent. After a long moment, a High-rank wearing white robes spoke up. "Sect Master Yang, there are many secrets in this world. Some things are better left unknown."
The moment his words fell, Yang Kai let out a sharp cry of alarm.
Everyone assumed he had sustained some injury from his earlier battle with Shi Zheng and hurriedly turned to look at him with concern. But in the next instant, every face drained of color.
The Ink Insect that Yang Kai had been gripping this whole time had somehow broken free of his control. It was hurtling toward the white-robed High-rank in the form of a black streak, its speed as fast as lightning.
The white-robed High-rank broke into a cold sweat on the spot. Though he possessed a Seventh-rank cultivation, if the Ink Insect latched onto him, the outcome would be no different. The only possibility was a breach of his Small World, followed by an Ink Transformation like Shi Zheng's.
The sect records were clear — the Ink Insect was virtually impossible to guard against. Unless it was killed before it made contact, once it got close, even an Eighth-rank would not be spared.
The void trembled slightly. Under the fluctuation of spatial laws, the black streak hurtling toward the white-robed Seventh-rank froze abruptly in midair.
Yang Kai strolled over at an unhurried pace, snatched the wriggling Ink Insect back into his grip, and glanced up at the white-robed Seventh-rank. "What was that you just said? Sorry, I didn't quite catch it. Could you repeat that?"
The Ink Insect in his hand squirmed and strained, looking as though it might break free at any moment.
Every face in the group darkened.
They were just talking — why was he resorting to threats?
Yu Xiangdie said, torn between laughter and exasperation, "With Sect Master Yang's current strength and standing, he is well within his rights to know about such matters. Wouldn't you all agree?"
The group fell silent again.
It wasn't until a long pause later that someone nodded. "Then let's be told."
There was really no refusing, either. Yang Kai was holding the Ink Insect and eyeing the lot of them like a cat watching mice, leaving everyone on edge. At a time like this, who would dare object?
Strictly speaking, these matters had only ever been known to the higher-ups of the Cave Heaven Blessed Lands since ancient times. But truth be told, with Yang Kai's strength and status, he certainly qualified to be in the loop.
Most importantly, he had already come into contact with this sort of thing today. Even if they wanted to keep it from him, it would be useless.
The others voiced no opinion — but voicing no opinion was itself a form of tacit agreement. Only then did Yu Xiangdie say, "Put the Ink Insect away."
"Oh!" Yang Kai obediently placed the Ink Insect back into the wooden box, then tossed it into his Space Ring.
Everyone finally relaxed.
A creature that even a group of High-rank Open Heaven cultivators regarded as a nightmare had been toyed with and juggled around by Yang Kai. Recalling the scene just now, their feelings were rather complicated.
The void was no place for a proper discussion. Yu Xiangdie raised her hand and summoned a tower ship. Everyone boarded one after another and settled onto the deck.
Yang Kai stared at the group with wide eyes, his face practically radiating eagerness to learn.
Everyone turned to look at Yu Xiangdie.
The meaning was clear — you were the one who brought it up, so you deal with it.
Yu Xiangdie shot them all a look, then turned to Yang Kai. "To be honest, our understanding of this matter is fairly superficial and incomplete."
After what had happened today, Yang Kai had sensed Yu Xiangdie's protectiveness toward him. When he had been suspected of Ink Smoke contamination earlier, she had even volunteered to inspect his Small World herself — clear evidence that she truly regarded him as Yin-Yang Heaven's son-in-law.
So when she said this, Yang Kai was willing to believe her. He nodded. "Then tell me what you do know."
Yu Xiangdie mused for a moment, as though organizing her thoughts, before speaking at last. "In this world, there exists a peculiar race of beings. They call themselves Ink. We call them the Ink Clan."
The Ink Clan was extraordinarily dangerous, primarily because of their extreme aggressiveness and capacity for corruption — something Yang Kai had experienced firsthand. Whether it was the Ink Smoke left behind after Shi Zheng's death or the Ink Insect itself, both demonstrated this trait.
Once the aura of Ink corroded a person's Small World, that person would be transformed into a member of the Ink Clan, their nature changed forever. Yet externally there was no visible difference whatsoever. The transformed appeared exactly as they always had.
Shi Zheng had been precisely such a case. No one had ever suspected that he had been corrupted by the Ink Clan and had already become one of them.