In other words, there were Upper-Grade Open Heavens whose Small Universes had already been contaminated by the Ink Force, leaving them no choice but to sever a portion of their own Small Universes. Only by making such a desperate sacrifice could they preserve themselves.
Over the past century, every Upper-Grade Open Heaven across the Caves Heavens and Blessed Lands had been in seclusion, cultivating Mystic Yin Bamboo, and each of them had reaped considerable rewards.
The Mystic Yin Bamboo was ranked among the Twelve Minor Pillars of Heaven and Earth and offered tremendous assistance to Upper-Grade Open Heavens, particularly in the fight against the Ink Force.
But even with the Mystic Yin Bamboo suppressing their Small Universes, these Upper-Grade Open Heavens still could not withstand the encroachment of the Ink Force—testament to the terrifying might of the Ink Royal Clan.
Fortunately, while the situation was dire, it had not yet deteriorated to the worst possible extent. The numerous Eighth-Order Supreme Elders remained intact, the World Force around their bodies still surging, and with the Mystic Yin Bamboo standing guard, there was no imminent risk of them being Inked.
Yang Kai withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes, seizing every moment to recover.
What he had expected to be a battle that would be decided swiftly had instead unfolded in a direction that none of them had anticipated. After this war, the Caves Heavens and Blessed Lands would suffer untold casualties.
Time trickled by, moment by moment.
The anxiety on Yang Kai's face gradually eased. He understood clearly that in the current situation, panic would accomplish nothing—hurrying his recovery was what mattered most.
A full two days passed before Yang Kai finally opened his eyes.
Lan Youruo had been waiting anxiously for some time. The moment Yang Kai's eyes opened, she turned her head. "Ready?"
Yang Kai rose to his feet and nodded. "Don't get too far from me!"
Lan Youruo curled her lip. "That's what I should be saying to you!"
She was Seventh-Order while Yang Kai was only Sixth-Order. On a battlefield like this, it should have been her protecting him.
The two exchanged a smile and transformed into streaks of light, charging toward the battlefield.
Two days had passed, and the situation on the battlefield had grown even more chaotic. Yang Kai looked out and saw that the number of Upper-Grade Open Heavens from the Caves Heavens and Blessed Lands appeared to have decreased dramatically—at least two hundred fewer, by his estimation.
Such losses were truly staggering.
Moreover, he could see many Upper-Grade Open Heavens turning on their own, violently attacking their fellow sect members.
These people had clearly been Inked!
Facing the attacks of their Inked brethren, the cultivators who still retained their sanity were forced to hold back. And so, even though the number of Inked Upper-Grade Open Heavens was not especially large, they had thrown the entire battlefield into complete disarray.
Yang Kai had arrived at precisely the right moment.
Divine Monarch Liumu had sensed Yang Kai's aura from a distance, and the frustration he had endured for two days finally erupted. He unleashed a devastating palm strike at an Inked disciple nearby. That Ink Ink Disciple showed no intention of dodging his Supreme Elder's attack, adopting an attitude of mutual destruction.
Liumu erupted in curses: "You little brat, you've got some nerve—daring to lay hands on me!"
As his words fell, his palm slammed into the other's chest, and World Force erupted forth. The Ink Disciple froze as though struck by lightning, his entire body locking up for a brief moment.
Seizing the opportunity, Liumu formed a series of hand seals and struck the man several more times, completely sealing him. In the next instant, he grabbed the Ink Disciple, spun around, and flew straight toward Yang Kai!
Moments later, the two met face to face. Liumu said nothing, simply tossing the Ink Disciple over to Yang Kai. Yang Kai had long been prepared—a beam of Light of Purification was already in his hand, sweeping over the Ink Disciple without delay.
A look of agony appeared on the Ink Disciple's face, but as the Ink Force was driven out, the pain gradually softened.
Before long, the eyes of the corrupted Upper-Grade Open Heaven had returned to clarity.
He had not forgotten what had just happened, and his face was filled with shame.
Liumu departed and returned, this time with another Ink Disciple in hand.
Seeing this, Yang Kai didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He had hurried to recover and rushed here intending to join the great battle, for the Light of Purification he wielded was the bane of the Ink Force—his presence might have brought about some change for the Caves Heavens and Blessed Lands. But judging by Liumu's manner, he was being treated as a field medic.
He had no real cause for complaint, though. Right now, across the entire Heaven and Earth, he was the only one who could dispel the Ink Force.
Liumu tossed the Ink Disciple in his hands to Yang Kai, then released the first Ink Disciple from his seals and barked at the man: "Get back out there and stay sharp! If the Ink Force starts creeping into you, come find Yang right away!"
"Understood!" The first rescued disciple accepted the order and charged back into the fray.
"Lend me your strength!" Liumu nodded to Yang Kai and dove back into the battlefield once more.
One Ink Disciple after another was sent his way, and Yang Kai purified each one. Many Upper-Grade Open Heavens who had been touched by the Ink Force but still retained a measure of their sanity rushed toward them of their own accord, seeking Yang Kai's help.
The Light of Purification flared again and again, the Ink Force was driven out again and again, and for a time, Yang Kai found himself overwhelmed with the workload.
He did not relax his vigilance. Whether an Upper-Grade Open Heaven contaminated by the Ink Force had fully transformed into an Ink Disciple was impossible to tell from their appearance alone—the more deeply Inked they were, the more skilled their disguise.
And so, when he reached out to purify the Ink Force from a particular Upper-Grade Open Heaven and that person suddenly launched a ferocious attack, Yang Kai was not the least bit surprised.
This Seventh-Order Open Heaven hailed from some sect or another, and his strength was formidable. The moment he struck, it was with a divine ability of tremendous might.