"You want intelligence? Then trade intelligence for intelligence — nobody loses." Ever since she had heard Yang Kai hum a song, she had decided never to give him a chance to speak again.
"What do you want to know?" Yang Kai asked.
"Anything. I've been imprisoned for countless ages. I know nothing of the outside world anymore."
"Were you not converted into Ink Disciples? Didn't they bring you any intelligence?"
"Although the power of Ink is omnipotent, it cannot bring me the information I desire."
Yang Kai was silent for a moment before he spoke. "The Three Thousand Worlds — a vast expanse of heaven and earth, with countless factions of all sizes. But all bow to the Thirty-Six Heavens and Seventy-Two Blessed Lands. These one hundred and eight forces are the most supreme powers, producing experts without end."
This intelligence was hardly intelligence at all — the most basic information — so Yang Kai wasn't worried about revealing anything.
The Ink Clan member snorted. "A bunch of jumping clowns who dare put on airs. How laughable!"
Yang Kai ignored her and continued. "They are the rulers and guardians of this vast expanse of heaven and earth. The stability of the Three Thousand Worlds would not be possible without their dedication. It's admirable."
The Ink Clan member sneered. "A cuckoo occupying the magpie's nest, nothing more."
"I'd like to hear more?"
The Ink Clan member snorted. Although she knew Yang Kai was fishing for information, she clearly didn't mind sharing some. "This vast expanse of heaven and earth originally belonged to the Ink Clan. You people were nothing more than livestock and slaves raised by the Ink Clan. On the surface you feigned docility, but harbored rebellious hearts, seized everything that belonged to the Ink Clan, and drove us to the fringes of this cosmos. Sooner or later, the Ink Clan will return and reclaim what is rightfully ours."
Yang Kai frowned. "Are there others of the Ink Clan besides you?"
"The power of Ink is eternal and unceasing!" the Ink Clan member declared proudly.
Yang Kai had heard similar words of faith from the Ink Disciples more than once — the Ink shall endure forever.
It seemed now that these words had originated from the Ink Clan's own convictions. The royal before him truly believed that the power of Ink was eternal and unceasing.
But the other piece of information she had revealed interested Yang Kai even more.
"Where was the Ink Clan driven to?"
"You don't know?" the Ink Clan member asked in reply.
Yang Kai shook his head. "Most people have never heard of your affairs. Only the experts of the Heavens and Blessed Lands know of you. I only learned of your existence a few hundred years ago."
"Heh heh heh..." The Ink Clan member suddenly chuckled softly. "You feared the Ink Clan, which is why you sealed away all information. You know that ultimately you are no match for Ink. Just wait — that day will come soon, and when it does, this vast cosmos will once again become the territory of Ink!"
Her words were brimming with confidence. Yang Kai remained unmoved. "In the primordial age, our cultivators were able to drive you away. Today, we can wipe you out completely."
"Big words!" the Ink Clan member scoffed.
Yang Kai said nothing more and silently resumed healing his wounds.
Although he had gleaned some intelligence from this Ink Clan member, she herself had been imprisoned for countless ages and knew little about the outside world. All she knew was information from the primordial age.
If what she said was true, then in ancient times, this cosmos had belonged to the Ink Clan. Beneath the Throne of Ink, all beings were mere insects — livestock and slaves raised by the Ink Clan, subject to their every whim.
But how could countless living beings endure such a thing? Through ages of accumulation and endless rebellion, they had finally won their freedom. Perhaps there had been countless wars, perhaps countless predecessors had died, but in the end, they had defeated the Ink Clan and driven them to an unknown place.
The Three Thousand Worlds had ushered in a peace that lasted to this day.
His relationship with the Ink Clan member was extremely peculiar. Both wanted to kill the other, yet neither could. Sometimes they conversed calmly, sometimes they fought with flashing blades. Yang Kai's injuries fluctuated back and forth, and the Ink Clan member's power was equally difficult to gather.
Each time the Purification Light struck from Yang Kai's hands, it brought her unimaginable torment and agony.
Yang Kai felt that he had truly been forgotten.
He silently kept track of time. Nearly ten years had passed since he had volunteered to enter this prison, yet the Heavens and Blessed Lands showed no intention of rescuing him.
He understood their reservations, so he harbored no complaints. But the prolonged stalemate with the Ink Clan left him without hope.
All he could do was continuously weaken the Ink Clan member's power. But the gap in their strength was simply too great, and he could not kill her.
One day, ten years later, Yang Kai — who was in the midst of healing — suddenly heard a strange sound.
The sound was vaguely familiar, as though he had heard it somewhere before.
But before he could figure it out, the Ink Clan member's attack was already upon him. The aura of death descended overhead, and Yang Kai hurriedly dodged.
Before he had even steadied his footing, another streak of killing intent struck from the side.
Yang Kai's eyes blazed with fury in an instant. He drove the power of his Space Laws with ferocious intensity, deploying the Blink technique across the horizon.