The battlefield was indeed fraught with peril, but plans could never keep up with reality. Feng Ying had arrived in time to find Yang Kai, and with her standing guard beside him, there was no way she would allow him to fall into danger.
Yang Kai understood this as well, so upon seeing Feng Ying, he abandoned his original intentions and instead joined forces with her to slaughter their enemies to great effect.
It was purely by chance that they stumbled upon the Ink Clan Royal Lord's whereabouts and interrupted his healing. Enraged, the Royal Lord struck out at the two of them without hesitation.
Though it was merely a casual blow, for Yang Kai and Feng Ying at the time, it still represented a devastating force beyond their ability to withstand.
At the brink of life and death, Yang Kai had no time to think. He unleashed the Sun Moon Divine Wheel, supplemented by Feng Ying's Ten Thousand Swords Dragon Sovereign, and only then were they able to hold on long enough for Zhong Liang to arrive with reinforcements.
In that moment, they had truly been hanging by a thread. And it was precisely under that momentary, terrifying pressure that something within his body seemed to shatter.
Yang Kai had been unaware of it at the time, but once he was safe, he suddenly realized that the advancement bottleneck that had plagued him for so long—the one he had been unable to decipher even through bitter meditation in seclusion—had actually loosened and broken under the immense pressure.
Truly, one plants flowers in vain and they never bloom, yet casually stuccles a willow and a forest springs up.
Having sensed the opportunity for advancement, Yang Kai naturally would not waste such a golden chance. Once the battle concluded, he immediately returned here with Feng Ying, said a few words of instruction, and entered seclusion to advance.
When Zhong Liang and the others came looking for him now, they naturally could not find him.
However, upon learning that Yang Kai was actually assaulting the Seventh-Rank realm, the four army commanders were overjoyed. Yang Kai's existence was of utmost importance to the human race—the stronger he became, the better. The Ink Battlefield was fraught with countless dangers, and only with greater strength could one truly have the capital to protect oneself. Fifth-Rank was too low, Sixth-Rank merely passable. If he could advance to Seventh-Rank, only then would he be of true use.
"Excellent." Zhong Liang nodded firmly. "If this kid can pull off the advancement, that'll be wonderful news indeed."
Ding Yao and the rest all nodded in agreement.
However, advancing from Sixth-Rank to Seventh-Rank in the Open Heaven realm was destined to be a lengthy process—it could not be accomplished in one leap. Back in the day, even the Madam had spent over a century in seclusion before breaking through from Sixth-Rank.
Zhong Liang and the others had all experienced this themselves, so they naturally understood the ins and outs of it.
Yang Kai probably could not be seen for the time being, and the others gave up their intentions to recruit him. Zhong Liang instructed, "Stay here and keep watch. The moment he emerges from seclusion, inform us immediately."
Feng Ying naturally agreed with a nod.
"Let's go." Zhong Liang gestured. The post-battle accounting was still ongoing, and each of them had their own pressing duties—they could not simply wait here forever.
Yet just as the four were about to leave, a deep, rumbling boom suddenly echoed from within.
Zhong Liang turned toward the sound. "What was that?"
Feng Ying's expression shifted, and she said hesitantly, "The sealed chamber has opened..."
Zhong Liang and the others froze at her words, and then their faces changed drastically.
A sealed chamber existed for the sole purpose of seclusion cultivation. Once closed, it would not be disturbed lightly. Since Yang Kai had entered seclusion here with Feng Ying to advance, he was naturally inside the chamber.
Unless he opened it himself, the chamber would absolutely not open on its own.
But... why would the chamber suddenly open? It had only been a few days since the battle ended. Yang Kai had barely entered seclusion before coming out—could something have gone wrong?
At that thought, Zhong Liang and the others could no longer remain calm. They flashed to the exterior of the chamber and fixed their gazes upon it.
From within the sealed chamber, Yang Kai strode out with the bearing of a dragon and tiger, still bare-chested. The numerous wounds he had sustained during battle had not yet fully healed, but they looked significantly improved.
Zhong Liang and the others had initially feared that something had gone wrong during his seclusion—otherwise why would he have come out on his own? But one look, and they saw that Yang Kai's complexion was ruddy, his spirit refreshed, looking to be in excellent condition.
Moreover, the aura emanating from his body felt somewhat off. It was not Sixth-Rank—it was actually Seventh-Rank!
Having just advanced, Yang Kai seemed unable to fully control the power of Seventh-Rank Open Heaven, unable to freely compress and release the force of his Small Universe. That was why traces of it were leaking out.
Zhong Liang and the others stared wide-eyed at him in astonishment.
Yang Kai noticed them as well, puzzled as to why these four had appeared here, but he still hurried forward to bow in greeting. "Greetings to the four seniors."
Zhong Liang and the others said nothing. Four people, four pairs of eyes, scrutinizing Yang Kai from head to toe.
Yang Kai grew uncomfortable under their gaze, feeling that there was something strange about the way they were looking at him, though he could not figure out why. Cautiously, he asked, "Is there something the four seniors need from me?"
"Don't move!" Zhong Liang commanded in a deep voice. He stepped forward and pressed a hand against Yang Kai's dantian, channeling his power to examine it.
Ding Yao and the others stood to the side, waiting quietly.
After a brief moment, Zhong Liang withdrew his hand, his expression peculiar.
"Well?" Ding Yao asked.
"Baffling," Zhong Liang murmured, shaking his head and looking at Ding Yao and the rest. "Seventh-Rank, without a doubt!"