By the time Yang Kai returned, over a hundred people followed in his wake.
They were all Ink Disciples he had rescued. Yang Kai had simply explained the situation and asked if anyone was willing to stay behind to serve Zhuozhao and Youying, and several hundred had stepped forward immediately.
Zhuozhao and Youying's prestige was legendary. For ordinary people, merely catching a glimpse of them would be considered an extraordinary stroke of fortune, let alone serving them in close quarters. For common Open Heaven Realm cultivators, the prospect held irresistible appeal.
Had Yang Kai not selected only a portion of them, he could have brought back far more.
"All you two need are subordinates who can follow orders, regardless of their cultivation. These people are all exceptionally sharp and clever—I trust they won't disappoint you. How about they stay here with you?" Yang Kai offered.
It was essentially a trade: over a hundred people in exchange for the freedom of thirty-two. Brother Huang and Sister Lan exchanged a glance, but rather than refuse, they nodded readily.
Yang Kai breathed a silent sigh of relief.
Brother Huang raised his hand, and streaks of yellow light flew toward Six Wood Divine Lord. He said coolly, "You've all worked hard these past few days. Take these as your reward."
Six Wood Divine Lord looked closely and saw that the yellow light was composed of chunks of Yellow Crystal, each radiating an extremely dense aura of yang-attributed power.
These Yellow Crystals were all at least seventh-grade treasures.
The one in Six Wood's hands was an eighth-grade Yellow Crystal!
After a brief moment of surprise, Six Wood beamed and clasped his fists. "Many thanks, Big Brother!"
The remaining fifteen echoed their gratitude in unison.
Divine Lord Dayi and the others looked on with envy, but fortunately, Sister Lan had rewards of her own to bestow—blue crystals infused with yin-attributed power.
The hundred-odd Open Heaven Realm cultivators who had come with Yang Kai witnessed the scene, and every one of them was filled with elation. They secretly rejoiced at their decision. As long as they served Zhuozhao and Youying well, who could say there wouldn't be more rewards? This was a tremendous stroke of luck for them. Most of them had been destitute to begin with—that was precisely why they had been lured into the Black Domain to mine resources in the first place.
They silently resolved to win the favor of these two. Whether they could rise to prominence in the future hinged on seizing this opportunity.
With all matters settled, Yang Kai and the others bid farewell to Brother Huang and Sister Lan.
The thousands of Ink Disciples still needed to be brought back to the Black Domain. Though they hailed from different Sects and even from various great domains across the Three Thousand Worlds, the matter of the Ink Clan was far from resolved. They could not be released just yet, lest they spread rumors and sow chaos.
Divine Lord Dayi remained behind to guard the Domain Gate, watching as the airship departed.
The journey there had taken months, and the return trip was just as long.
Fortunately, the Ink Disciples' situation had been resolved, and everyone's spirits were far lighter than when they had set out. Moreover, Yang Kai had obtained a means of purifying the power of Ink—an ability that could prove invaluable to the situation in the Black Domain.
The journey passed uneventfully. Though the upheaval in the Black Domain had drawn the powerful cultivators of the Blessed Holy Lands, information had been strictly suppressed from ordinary factions. As a result, none of the great domains yet knew that a figure powerful enough to overturn the entire world was imprisoned within that black prison.
Several months later, the group arrived back in the Black Domain.
At the Domain Gate, high-grade Open Heaven Realm cultivators from the Blessed Holy Lands stood guard personally, barring all unauthorized entry.
The airship of Golden Antelope Blessed Holy Land was allowed to pass without issue. The thousands of rescued Ink Disciples would be temporarily detained and handled by the Blessed Holy Lands' cultivators. For the time being, it seemed unlikely they would regain their freedom anytime soon.
Shattered fragments of Spirit Continents stretched out in vast stretches, forming temporary outposts for each of the Blessed Holy Lands.
Heavenly Spark Palace had its own encampment.
Qu Huashang had returned to the Star Boundary to relay the news, and naturally, word had reached Heavenly Spark Palace. The Grand Steward, Hua Qingsi, had personally issued the order: every powerhouse in the Palace was to deploy.
When Yang Kai arrived, he found Xia Ningshang, Xue Yue, Yu Rumeng, Ji Yao, Qu Huashang, Tao Lingwan, Lin Yun'er, Mo Xiaoqi, Yang Xue, Yue He, Mao Zhe, Geng Qing, Zhou Ya, Hua Yong, Shu Mudan, Tie Xue, Shou Wu, You Hun, Hua Ying, Bing Yu, Miao Dan, Tianshu, Fang Yue, Xiang Ying, Li Wuyi, Bing Yun, and many others.
Save for Mo Mei, who was stationed at Void Land's Star City, and the Red Dust Emperor, who guarded Heavenly Spark Star City, nearly every sixth-grade Open Heaven Realm cultivator under Yang Kai's command had come.
This time, Yang Kai was no longer fighting alone.
And this time, Heavenly Spark Palace finally had its own seventh-grade Open Heaven Realm cultivator.
The Madam had made her breakthrough.
Yang Kai had learned of it from Yu Xiangdie back at Yin Yang Heaven, but he had never found the time to return and see for himself. It was the Madam who had come to seek him out.