At the center of this Spirit Continent, there was a city—the most flourishing settlement in the entire continent. A fair number of cultivators had gathered there, but when Yang Kai swept his Divine Sense over it, he couldn't detect a single Upper-Rank Open Heaven among them. Though the population was sizeable, the strongest among them were only a handful of Sixth-Order Open Heaven.
Ji Laosan could sense the presence of Ink Force on this Spirit Continent, but he couldn't pinpoint its exact location. Yang Kai found himself in a bind—how was he supposed to track down the source of that Ink Force?
One thing he could confirm: there were no Ink Clan here.
If any Ink Clan members were hiding on this continent, his current Eighth-Order Open Heaven cultivation would see through them at a glance. Since there were no Ink Clan, that meant Ink Disciples.
Under normal circumstances, Ink Disciples looked no different from ordinary humans—unless they actively channeled Ink Force, revealing their true nature.
He couldn't exactly inspect every person on this Spirit Continent one by one. That would waste far too much time.
What puzzled Yang Kai even more was: how could the Shattered Heaven possibly have Ink Disciples?
If there were Ink Disciples, there had to be a source of Ink Force somewhere. And where exactly was that source?
Deep within his heart, a vague sense of unease stirred, as if something momentous was about to happen.
Just as he was deliberating over how to locate the hidden Ink Disciples, two streaks of light suddenly descended from the sky beyond the heavens.
The newcomers bore an imposing aura, making no effort whatsoever to conceal their presence. Both were Sixth-Order Open Heaven cultivators. Setting aside the Shattered Heaven—even in the Three Thousand Worlds, a Sixth-Order was considered a powerhouse so long as no Upper-Rank stepped forward.
In an instant, waves of Divine Sense and countless gazes were drawn toward those two streaks of light.
The streaks halted in midair, and as the radiance faded, the figures of a man and a woman emerged.
Anyone who laid eyes on the pair couldn't help but brighten, silently praising them in their hearts as a perfect match—a golden boy and jade girl.
The man was strikingly handsome, and the woman was a born beauty. Standing together, they were an absolute feast for the eyes.
The Shattered Heaven was mostly populated by lawless and unrestrained individuals, and before long, quite a few greedy gazes were lingering on the woman's graceful figure. Secret swallowing occurred here and there, their thoughts wandering to how dying would be a fair price for spending a night with such a stunning beauty.
The woman was clearly long accustomed to such stares. She merely let out a cold snort.
The man, however, was brimming with indignation. A strand of his Divine Sense lashed out covertly, instantly sending several Fourth-Order and Fifth-Order Open Heaven cultivators clutching their heads in agony.
Having dealt with those lecherous types a measure of punishment, the man then raised his voice and called out: "By decree of Divine Lord Tianluo—whoever governs this Spirit Continent, step forward and receive the order!"
The moment those words left his lips, every cultivator on the continent turned pale. Those who had been gazing hungrily at the woman quickly lowered their heads, not daring to look again.
There was good reason for this. The name of Divine Lord Tianluo carried far too much weight.
In the entirety of the Shattered Heaven, there were only three Divine Lords—three Eighth-Order Open Heaven cultivators. Among them, Shengyang, who had once hunted Yang Kai, was one. The other two were Tianluo and Ku Yan.
All three had fled to the Shattered Heaven because they refused to submit to the Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands. They had been hiding there for tens of thousands of years, gradually advancing to the Seventh and Eighth Orders in the process.
Cultivators who roamed the Shattered Heaven might show no deference to the Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands, but they absolutely dared not show the slightest disrespect toward the three Divine Lords.
The Shattered Heaven's environment was brutal and its terrain chaotic. Offend a disciple of the Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands, and you might still find a way to survive. But attract the attention of one of the three Divine Lords, and death was certain.
In the Shattered Heaven, the ones truly in charge were the three Divine Lords.
This golden boy and jade girl had arrived bearing Divine Lord Tianluo's decree, which meant they were obviously from the Tianluo Palace. Moreover, a Sixth-Order Open Heaven cultivation within the Tianluo Palace was considered exceptionally strong—they were quite possibly Divine Lord Tianluo's Personal Disciples. With that connection, even the most lawless individuals on this Spirit Continent wouldn't dare harbor the slightest thought of disrespect.
With that single command, a figure immediately flew out from a grand hall at the center of the continent. This person, too, was a Sixth-Order Open Heaven. He didn't look much like a cultivator—richly dressed, he resembled more of a local wealthy landlord. With a round, plump face and an amiable smile, he called out from a distance with cupped fists: "Qin Chuan of Poluo Continent greets the two envoys. My apologies for not coming out to welcome you sooner."
Though both were Sixth-Order, Qin Chuan was merely the lord of a single Spirit Continent. In terms of standing, he naturally couldn't compare to these two under Divine Lord Tianluo, so he adopted a deferential posture the moment he appeared.
The man inclined his head slightly. "So Brother Qin Chuan governs this place. My junior sister and I haven't left the Tianluo Palace in a long time—we had no idea."
His tone suggested the two were acquainted. But acquainted or not, the man still spoke with an air of clear superiority, indicating their relationship was not particularly close.
"Brother Wu is too kind. This humble backwater naturally can't compare to the Tianluo Palace. May I ask what orders the Divine Lord has sent?" Qin Chuan inquired respectfully.
At the mention of business, the man surnamed Wu dispensed with the pleasantries. He produced a jade slip and proclaimed in a clear voice: "By my master's decree—the lord of Poluo Continent, Qin Chuan, is to assemble two hundred Open Heaven cultivators of the Fifth Order and above, and report to the designated location within three months."
Qin Chuan's expression turned serious upon hearing this. He raised his hand to accept the jade slip, inspecting it carefully before confirming it was indeed a genuine decree from Tianluo. A look of puzzlement crossed his face. "Brother Wu, is the Tianluo Palace about to go to war with the other two?"
The three Divine Lords had divided the Shattered Heaven among themselves. Naturally, their coexistence was far from peaceful. Over the countless years, there had been frequent friction and conflict among them, though most were merely petty skirmishes that didn't amount to much.