The Ink Royal Clan writhed its massive body, seemingly expending every last bit of its strength. Supporting itself on its three remaining long legs, it raised its head and straightened its chest, stubbornly maintaining the dignity and pride of the Royal Clan.
Its lofty gaze was imperious, looking down at everyone with contempt and disdain: "Make your move. What are you still waiting for?"
One pair of eyes after another turned to look at Yang Kai.
The Ink Royal Clan — a centipede that never dies even when a hundred of its legs are severed. Dozens of Supreme Open Heavens had launched round after round of fierce attacks, yet none had managed to take her life, a testament to her tenacious vitality. To thoroughly eliminate her, the Light of Purification was the best and only choice.
Yang Kai stepped forward without hesitation, different colored lights shimmering in his left and right hands. When he pressed his palms together, the two-colored lights merged into pure white radiance.
He walked toward the Ink Clan step by step, posing a question that had troubled him for a long time: "Why didn't you flee?"
Even when trapped in a desperate situation, she had never moved from her spot, as though some tremendous force had shackled her in place.
The corner of the Ink Royal Clan's mouth curved upward. She smiled but said nothing, the contempt in her eyes growing even deeper.
Yang Kai frowned. Something felt off, but at this moment there was no time for deep contemplation. The Ink Royal Clan was on its last legs — if he didn't kill her now, there would be endless trouble in the future.
Dazzling white light erupted, transforming into a pillar of light that enveloped the Ink Clan.
A look of pain immediately appeared on her face, but she clenched her teeth and didn't make a single sound.
A sizzling sound rang out as Ink Force seeped from the countless wounds covering her body, dissipating into nothingness. Her already weakened aura grew even more feeble.
Yet the Ink Royal Clan seemed to have found release, tilting her head back slightly, her gaze distant and unfocused.
The pillar of light continued to wash over that enormous spider-like body. The Ink Force was constantly being purified, and her form actually began to fade along with its dissipation, quickly becoming semi-transparent.
After a full incense stick's worth of time, the Ink Royal Clan's body had been purified into a hazy silhouette.
She suddenly smiled at Yang Kai and spoke: "The will of Ink is eternal and undying!"
As her words fell, her body burst apart like a bubble, completely vanishing without a trace.
The light receded. Yang Kai stared at the spot where she had perished, his brow furrowed. Even on its last legs, the Ink Royal Clan should have still had the power to fight back, yet during his purification, she hadn't offered the slightest resistance. This was highly abnormal.
The question that had been troubling Yang Kai remained unanswered.
The void fell silent. Everyone gazed quietly at the place where the Ink Clan had disappeared — no cheers, no celebrations.
Though victory belonged to the Cavern Heavens and Blessed Lands, the price paid for this battle was far too great. Two to three hundred Seventh-Grade Open Heavens had fallen in battle, and five Eighth-Grade Open Heavens had perished, each one torn apart beyond recognition. Many hadn't even been able to preserve their own Minor Cosmos.
Not only that — after this battle, many Supreme Open Heavens had voluntarily severed portions of their Minor Cosmos to avoid being corrupted by Ink Force, resulting in a loss of their foundation. Their cultivation would never advance another step.
Such devastation had never occurred in all of history.
The crowd silently cleaned the battlefield, gathering the belongings left behind by their fallen comrades.
Many shattered spirit continents still lingered on the battlefield, infested with Ink Force. Some had been voluntarily abandoned, others were the remnants of Open Heaven Realm cultivators who had self-detonated their Minor Cosmos before death, scattered in a dense web across the void of the Black Domain.
Lan Youruo flashed to Yang Kai's side and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
She could tell that Yang Kai was distracted.
Yang Kai shook his head. "There are things I can't quite figure out."
Lan Youruo guessed what was on his mind. After all, he had asked the Ink Clan earlier, and she knew he couldn't understand why the Ink Clan had never attempted to flee from start to finish. She nodded and said, "I'm a bit curious too, but she's already dead. Even if there were some scheme or trick, it would be difficult to carry out."
"Let's hope so," Yang Kai said quietly.
Liumu Shenjun walked over and gave Yang Kai a slight nod. "You'll need to keep working a bit longer. There's still a considerable amount of Ink Force lingering here that needs to be dispersed as soon as possible."
Yang Kai replied, "Rest assured, Senior. I'll handle—"
Before he could finish, his brow suddenly furrowed and he turned his gaze toward a certain direction — the very spot where the Ink Clan had perished.
Liumu and Lan Youruo beside him looked as well, but saw nothing.
Yet Yang Kai had clearly discovered something. His figure flickered and he arrived at the spot where the Ink Clan had died. He closed his eyes, focused his mind, and silently probed with his senses.
His movements were noticed by many of the Eighth-Grade Supreme Elders. Seeing this, their expressions turned solemn and they slowly gathered around.
Someone asked Liumu, "What's going on?"
Liumu turned to Lan Youruo. "What's going on?"
Lan Youruo shook her head, indicating that she was equally in the dark.
No one knew what had happened, but Yang Kai's actions had set their already-sensitive nerves on edge. They had just fought a battle against the Ink Royal Clan and paid an enormous price for their victory — but who knew whether the Ink Royal Clan might have left behind some final card to play?
Secret orders were transmitted silently. The many Supreme Open Heavens who had been cleaning the battlefield soon gathered as well, hundreds of people forming a massive encirclement, their eyes fixed on the spot where Yang Kai stood — as though another Ink Royal Clan still lurked there.
After a good while, Yang Kai finally opened his eyes, his expression grave.