MARTIAL ADVERSITY, VOLUME 3 - SEASON 3 EPISODE 14

“Let’s begin,” Ling Tai Xu said, starting to circulate his True Qi. His palm leant into the stone wall before him.

Meng Wu Ya similarly placed his palm on the opposite side of the wall, his True Qi also surging.

These two old monsters at the peak of Immortal Ascension Boundary were like an open floodgate, their True Qi ferociously pouring into the stone walls in front of them.

This seemingly ordinary stone wall, at the moment, has suddenly become a bottomless pit; the massive influx of True Qi did not even rumble the wall one bit.

Yang Kai stood to the side, silently observing, silently shocked.

This stone wall must hold some incredible secret; otherwise, it could not possibly act so strange. And it was inside the Coiling Dragon Stream – perhaps that is somehow related as well.

After enough time to brew a cup of tea passed, both Ling Tai Xu and Meng Wu Ya had a thin film of glimmering sweat covering their foreheads. Such unrestrained, continuous output of True Qi was more than strenuous.

“Bother Ling, you are sure this is the right place?” Meng Wu Ya frowned, unable to stop himself from questioning.

“It is here,” Ling Tai Xu stated with great confidence.

Finally, the stone wall reacted. On the surface of this seemingly plain cobbled wall was where a layer of dark ripples suddenly emerged, starting at the centre, then quickly spreading out to each corner.

It was a signal for both Ling Tai Xu and Meng Wu Ya to increase the output of their True Qi.

The ripples gradually became larger and more violent. It was as if a calm lake was being pelted by pebbles and small rocks. In the end, the layer of ripples revealed an expanding whirlpool of energy, dizzying anyone who stared at it.

Meng Wu Ya’s eyes lit up, exclaiming, “It really is a two-way void corridor! Brother Ling, your High Heaven Pavilion’s Ancestral Founder truly possessed extraordinary strength!”

Ling Tai Xu just smiled, pulling back.

Meng Wu Ya also hurriedly retreated.

Although the two had ceased the flow of their True Qi, the changes occurring on the stone wall continued. The rumbling and ripples peaked in violence. The layer of ripples had now actually become a physical phenomenon instead of simply an image, rotating steadily as they spread outward, the stone wall suddenly exposing a dark hole.

Staring into this dark hole, Yang Kai felt like his soul was being sucked in, becoming somewhat dazed and disoriented.

Meng Wu Ya smiled at him. Gently patting his shoulder, he gave an obviously fake heavy hearted look of reluctance and said, “Little Yang Kai, be sure to take care!”

Yang Kai couldn’t help but frown. Treasurer Meng’s behaviour today was far too intimate.

“While I am absent for these next few days, I ask Brother Meng to watch over High Heaven Pavilion.” Ling Tai Xu saluted, then waddled into the black swirling hole along with Yang Kai.

Before entering, Yang Kai looked back and saw Meng Wu Ya wear a joyous smile, waving to him frantically and embarrassingly.

After Ling Tai Xu and Yang Kai disappeared inside, the black hole in the stone wall suddenly vanished, once again restoring its original appearance.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Meng Wu Ya remained in place, waiting a long time before looking up and laughing.

“Ha ha ha ha ha!”

His roaring laughter shook the Heavens and the Earth, startling countless High Heaven Pavilion disciples awake, causing them to shiver in fear.

[The Heavens have mercy! They finally sent this smelly brat far away, now there is no one to disturb my baby apprentice’s heart. Good! Who knows how long it will be before this plague returns. A year, perhaps two? As long as he is gone, my baby apprentice will forget him!]

[With nothing to distract her, she will be able to cultivate more rapidly, growing up in peace and quiet.]

Celebrating his good fortune, Meng Wu Ya laughed out loud again.

The black hole contained chaotic surroundings, but the scenery only lasted for about three breaths of time. Looking forward, Yang Kai saw a great burst of light, suddenly appearing alongside his Grand Master in a strange land.

Ling Tai Xu looked around, then quickly flew towards the horizon, stopping a short while later in a secluded spot, setting Yang Kai down to then instruct him, “Stand guard for me, I need a moment to recover.”

Yang Kai nodded his head, guessing that consuming so much True Qi was a bit much even for his Grand Master.

Ling Tai Xu swallowed a restoration pill and then meditated for two hours. Finished with his recovery, he lifted Yang Kai up and flew forward again.

Flying with a passenger was a huge difference from flying on his own, with Ling Tai Xu using his True Qi to protect him, Yang Kai simply did not feel the harsh scrape of the wind.

“Grand Master, what is that black hole under the Coiling Dragon Stream?” Yang Kai asked curiously.

“It is something the Ancestral Founder left behind many years ago, a void corridor connecting one place in this world to another; with it, one can easily move from that spot in High Heaven Pavilion to another place. How it works specifically, I do not know. After all, my strength compared to our ancestor’s is far too insignificant.”

“How far have we just travelled?” Yang Kai was shocked, he never imagined that such a wondrous thing like this void corridor had existed in this world.

“About ten thousand li (5000 km, 3100 miles),” Ling Tai Xu plainly said.

Yang Kai gasped. From the time Ling Tai Xu and Meng Wu Ya both began channelling their True Qi into the stone wall until their arrival, only about half an hour of travelling passed. Half an hour to cross ten thousand li was simply unbelievable.

Although Yang Kai’s mental strength was outstanding, such an experience trumped his thoughts and rendered him dumbfounded.

“Why have you not asked where I am taking you yet?” Ling Tai Xu looked towards him with interest.

“If Grand Master wanted me to know, you would have already told me. In any case, I trust the Grand Master would not act maliciously towards me.”

“You really are trusting and open-minded…” Ling Tai Xu wryly smiled, his eyes showing deep thoughts. He resumed explaining, “The place I want to send you to is a place of killing, where murder does not require reason or excuse. There, only strength is respected, where the law of the jungle in its most vivid and base interpretation is the only law. You had best be psychologically prepared!”

Yang Kai was taken aback. “What am I going there to do?”

“Cultivate, become strong, and explore the true profoundness of the martial path!” Ling Tai Xu took a deep breath, “If you do not want to go, I can take you back right now.”

“No, of course I will go.” Yang Kai held a strong excitement towards cultivation. The desire for strength was something possessed by every cultivator. Only when one was strong would he not be insulted or bullied; only when one was strong would they be able to go farther down the martial path and attain the better life they desire.

“You still wish to go, even if every moment you spend there would be in life-threatening danger?” Ling Tai Xu flashed a comforting smile.

“Of course.”

“Hahaha! You and your father really are opposite ends of the spectrum! This old master also asked him this question, guess his answer.”

Yang Kai pondered a moment, then mimicking Yang Ying Feng’s forthright and honest look and his demeanour and tone and grunted, “I do not want to kill, I will not go!”

Ling Tai Xu took half a second to register what Yang Kai had just blurted out and immediately began laughing even harder, “Your impression is not bad! It is said that the father knows his son best; it looks like the opposite is also true.”

[Being unwilling to kill in the end, will only bring harm to oneself! You Yang Family people are not affectionate, each one behaving like a wolf or a tiger. If he cannot become strong, his return to the Yang Family would only cause him to be trampled upon!]

[This little Yang Kai is surrounded by an air of blood and violence. If he does not have enough strength to protect himself and his loved ones, he would be unable to resist bullies.]

[When that future comes and he falls to the Devil’s Path, he will become an enemy of the world! Ah disciple, do not say that this old master is being heartless and ruthless by not telling you I am bringing him here. It is all because of your temperament that this old master fears you will not agree.]

“Grand Master, in the end, where will we go?” Yang Kai smiled and asked.

“Not us, just you. This old master is only responsible for sending you there. You should have heard of this place: the Nether Mountain!”

Yang Kai’s smile suddenly broke as an expression of disbelief overtook it. Hesitating for a long time, he decided to probe further, “Grand Master, when you say the Nether Mountain, surely you do not mean THAT Nether Mountain?”

“Indeed I do!”

Yang Kai face became even more bitter.

The Nether Mountain was a fierce and notorious name for a Forbidden Zone, and it was a famous Forbidden Zone for cultivators at that. Many had entered this Forbidden Zone but none had ever returned alive.

Of course, this is only the most exaggerated rumour spread around the world and the reality in Nether Mountain was not one of certain death, but it was undeniable that entering the grim place was indeed arguably suicide. Compared to High Heaven Pavilion’s nearby Black Wind Mountains, the degree of danger was higher by dozens of times.

In the Black Wind Mountains, an average True Element Boundary Warrior could move about unimpeded, unless their luck is painfully terrible and they meet a particularly brutal Monster Beast. However, in Nether Mountain, even an Immortal Ascension master would have difficulty keeping their own life afloat. The gap of danger between both areas was painfully obvious.

Because it was so dangerous, it earned the label of a Forbidden Zone. It also happened to be the only such Forbidden Zone in the entire Great Han Dynasty.

Across the rest of the world, there were many other Forbidden Zones just like Nether Mountain. Yang Kai had heard that adjacent to the Great Han Dynasty in the Tang Liang Dynasty was a Forbidden Zone called the Abandoned Earth, filled with all kinds of deadly dangers similarly to Nether Mountain, even possibly somewhat beyond it.

Forbidden Zones are filled with strange Monster Beasts while the jungles hide many unknown dangers. Going inside haphazardly was simply courting death.

Yang Kai assumed that Ling Tai Xu had made his own plans, although knowing their destination was just a little more than intimidating.

Sure enough, Ling Tai Xu seemed to be watching his reaction, apparently satisfied with his response, “We are not venturing deep into Nether Mountain, only about five hundred li (two hundred and fifty kilometres, 155 miles) where there is a very strange place. It is suitable for cultivators of your level to gain experience.”

“What kind of place?” Yang Kai asked.

“It is hard to explain, but in short it is a very unusual place. This old master also visited it with his master for life experience. I wanted to send your father here many years ago but he refused, so now it is your generation’s turn.”

“This place is infamous, so there should be a lot of people who are already present there. We will have to see if we can grab a spot for you or not. If your entrance goes smoothly, you will have to remember one thing; everyone is an enemy. Do not trust anyone.”

“Disciple understands.”

“No, you do not.” Ling Tai Xu slowly shook his head, his tone becoming increasingly solemn, “This place creates a unique situation where everywhere everyone around you is a life-and-death enemy because inside when a cultivator is killed, their Yuan Qi and Blood Essence will condense into a Blood Bead. This Blood Bead can be absorbed by anyone, enhancing their own strength without any negative effects.

“What?” Yang Kai’s expression became serious.