Martial Peak

Chapter 5501: Submit To Me

“There has never been a precedent, but after today there will be many,” Yang Kai grinned meaningfully.

Zhu Jian couldn’t help but laugh, “Given your tiny figure, you have quite a big mouth. How would you be able to make this majestic Zhu Jian recognise you as my Master? Instead, I will give you some opportunity if you submit to me.”

The Divine Spirits of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary and their chosen Bearer had a mutually beneficial relationship. These chosen Human cultivators could often benefit from the Divine Spirit and quickly get stronger.

Gu Pan, Qu Hua Shang, Ning Dao Ran, and other powerful youths from that time were all the same. 

The Divine Spirits also wished for these Bearers to be as strong as possible because they would be taking part in the Spirit Seizing War. Only when their Bearer was powerful would they be able to seize the opportunity to leave this cage.

Zhu Jian wasn’t lying when he stated he would give Yang Kai opportunities as he actually planned to do so. The notion was, of course, that Yang Kai must pass some of his assessments. Zhu Jian would not want to waste his time if this Human was mediocre.

Saying so, Zhu Jian raised a hoof and pressed it down at Yang Kai. Though his movements weren’t particularly fast, the pressure of a Divine Spirit became stronger with every metre it descended.

Zhu Jian could almost foresee the sight of the Human trembling under his majestic self. 

He had done this many times before, and each time, those Humans would submit and become well-behaved. 

However, this time was destined to be an exception…

Yang Kai simply lifted his hand and stopped Zhu Jian’s hoof dead in its tracks. The sight was akin to an ant lifting its limb and holding up an elephant’s foot. 

“I’m short on time, so let’s stop the nonsense and get right to the point.” 

Just as the voice of the Human sounded in Zhu Jian’s ears, he immediately found himself lifted before being slammed down onto the floor. 

There was a huge explosion as it seemed like the entire Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary shook. The mountain valley cracked, with spider web-like fissures spreading out from a massive depression that had just been opened up at its centre. From inside the crater, Zhu Jian’s figure could be vaguely seen through the dust and debris.

Zhu Jian was so flabbergasted he didn’t even get angry from being smashed to the ground.

In the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, Zhu Jian could unleash strength equivalent to a Second-Order Open Heaven Realm Master, which while powerful, was a huge gap from his true strength. Still, how could Yang Kai toy with him like this when all Humans who arrived here were no stronger than Emperor Realm Masters?

*Hong Hong Hong…*

More bangs and explosions sounded one after another as in a flash, Zhu Jian’s rising wrath transformed into terror. He became dizzy as a result of being repeatedly thrown around and smashed into the ground. He had never before, since his birth, come across a situation that made him feel this helpless. 

Only after 100 times did Yang Kai release him. Zhu Jian lay limp on the ground, twitching all over as if all the bones in his body had been dislocated, his eyes filled with fear and uncertainty.

“Acknowledge me as your Master, and I will take you out,” repeated Yang Kai as he stood on the bridge of Zhu Jian’s nose and stared straight into his eyes.

As if just waking from this nightmare, Zhu Jian roared in fright, “You’re not suppressed by the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary!?” 

Yang Kai’s might was clearly not that of the Emperor Realm, but of the Open Heaven Realm! Despite never having witnessed the true strength of a Human Open Heaven Realm Master, Zhu Jian could instantly identify that the Human in front of him was someone in the High-Rank Open Heaven Realm. 

“Stop talking nonsense and recognise me as your Master already,” Yang Kai urged impatiently.

There were a lot of Divine Spirits in the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary, so he didn’t want to waste time convincing each one of them, he only wanted to dispatch these Divine Spirits to the battlefield as swiftly as possible so that they could be of some use against the Black Ink Clan.

Despite how humiliated Zhu Jian felt, a Divine Spirit’s pride was not something that could be dampened so easily. As for submitting to an ‘inferior’, that was impossible; thus, he roared, “In your dreams! This Zhu Jian will not submit so easily!”

Yang Kai nodded lightly, then complimented him, “Seems your backbone is quite sturdy.”

Immediately, Yang Kai lifted his hand, and the 3,000-metre-tall Zhu Jian floated up into the air. Zhu Jian frantically struggled, but it was of no use as there seemed to be an invisible set of shackles which kept him in place.

The next moment, Yang Kai raised a flame from his free hand, within which a three-legged exotic bird cawed. 

Throwing the Golden Crow’s True Fire in his hand towards Zhu Jian, it soon exploded and burned furiously, enveloping the whole beast.

Then, Yang Kai took out a massive knife from somewhere as he swept his gaze back and forth across Zhu Jian’s juicy, meaty body.

By now, Zhu Jian was panicking. The Golden Crow’s True Fire made him suffer excruciating pain, but that was still barely bearable; after all, he was a mature Divine Spirit whose power was just being suppressed by the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary. It was an imposed weakness, which did not affect how intrepid his body was.

Though the Golden Crow’s True Fire was indeed impressive, flames of this intensity could not burn him to death. 

However, looking at the giant knife, and seeing Yang Kai’s behaviour, it was obvious that he was going to grill him up and eat him.

“What are you doing?!” Zhu Jian shouted in panic.

Yang Kai took out an equally giant honing steel from who knows where and grinned menacingly as he said, “I’ve been told about the taste of a certain powerful Black Ox whose flavour was supposed to be quite exquisite. I’ve always wanted to try such meat, but in the end, l wasn’t able to get my hands on some. You look quite similar to that Black Ox, which should be able to fulfil my wish. What’s more, a Divine Spirit should be more appetising than an ordinary Black Ox.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” Zhu Jian roared angrily.

“I wouldn’t?” With a snort, Yang Kai approached Zhu Jian with the now gleaming knife in hand, eying Zhu Jian’s rib-roast section, lifting his blade as if preparing to slice off a piece.

When Zhu Jian saw this Human was being serious, he couldn’t bear it anymore so he hurriedly cried out, “Wait, wait, wait! We can talk this out!”

Yang Kai’s knife rested on his flank as he said, “If you want to say something, speak quickly before it’s too late.”

Zhu Jian was agitated, “I’ll leave you with all I’ve collected during my life. I own many treasures that are very helpful for Humans to cultivate with.”

Yang Kai sneered, “Your ‘treasures’ are all useless to me.”

Zhu Jian tried again, “Then I will give you some of my Source Strength. With it, you will have the opportunity to comprehend the Innate Divine Ability of my Clan!”

Upon hearing that, Yang Kai frowned and asked, “What is the Bloodline Talent of your Clan?”

He was oblivious to it previously, but during his trip to the No-Return Pass to cultivate, he had come to understand that every Divine Spirit Clan had their own Bloodline Talent which would awaken once they matured thanks to their Bloodline Inheritance.

For example, the Dragon Clan’s Bloodline Talent was the Dao of Time while the Phoenix Clan’s was the Dao of Space.

Since he didn’t interact with other Divine Spirits much, Yang Kai didn’t know much about them. 

Seeing that his interest was piqued, Zhu Jian immediately continued, “The Bloodline Talent of my Clan is one of strength! If you comprehend this Innate Divine Ability, your physical strength will be boundless!”

“Garbage!” Yang Kai immediately lost all interest. When it came to raw physical strength, none exceeded the Dragon Clan! It was a purely useless Bloodline Talent for Yang Kai. 

Zhu Jian felt like breaking down. How could he have offered some of his Source Strength if he hadn’t been forced into a dead end? The loss of even a bit of his Source Strength would have a significant detrimental effect on him.

Yet, such huge sacrifices were dismissed as ‘garbage’ by this Human.

“If you have anything else for me in exchange for your life, speak up. Or else, I will start my meal,” Yang Kai threatened.

Zhu Jian sighed, appearing to accept his fate, “What more do I have when you don’t even seem pleased by my Source Strength? Forget it. This is my fate. Please start.”

“Even if you die, you still won’t recognise me as your Master?” Yang Kai questioned.

Zhu Jian was greatly humiliated; even so, his words oozed contempt as he spoke, “Trivial Human, it will bring shame to all Divine Spirits for this Zhu Jian to submit to you! Instead, death will be a relief for me as I will finally be able to escape this prison.”

“What if I wasn’t a Human?” Yang Kai asked. Zhu Jian’s heart tightened as he saw Yang Kai step onto his nose once again and gave him a stern look.

When those words came out, even though Yang Kai’s figure remained the same, the phantom image of a Dragon Head appeared behind him and intense Dragon Pressure erupted forth. 

“You’re from the Dragon Clan!?” Zhu Jian asked in shock.

As a Divine Spirit, Zhu Jian could naturally feel the extremely pure Dragon Pressure that washed over him in that instant, something that only a True Dragon could possess. Under this Dragon Pressure, even a Divine Spirit like him couldn’t help but feel inferior. 

The Dragon Head disappeared as Yang Kai nodded and declared, “Indeed, I am from the Dragon Clan!”

“Why didn’t you expose your true identity first if you are from the Dragon Clan?” Zhu Jian almost wept. Still, the next moment he attempted to sound intimidating by declaring, “Even if you are a True Dragon, I won’t recognise you as my Master!”

The way he spoke, nonetheless, was not nearly as forceful as it had been before. Clearly, Yang Kai’s revelation of his identity caused Zhu Jian to reconsider his decision.

Of course, Yang Kai, on the other hand, knew what he was thinking; thus, he tempted him again, “I can bring you out of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary!”

Zhu Jian looked at him for a while, then shook his head and said, “Impossible, all Divine Spirits that have entered the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary will never have a chance to leave unless they win that fleeting opportunity. This applies to those in the Dragon Clan as well.”

Yang Kai only replied nonchalantly at this statement, “If I say I can do it, I can do it. Just because all of you can’t leave doesn’t mean that I can’t.”

For a brief while, Zhu Jian pondered before asking, “Do you dare to swear upon your Bloodline?”

Yang Kai raised his eyebrows, “Why would I not?”

At this point, Zhu Jian no longer had any doubts. To any Divine Spirit, an oath sworn on one’s Source was binding, while one sworn on their Bloodline was of even greater significance. Violating a Bloodline Oath would result in a Bloodline backlash. In light cases, their Bloodline would forever be destroyed, whereas in the worst case, they would lose their life. Worse yet, a Bloodline Oath concerned not just an individual, but an entire Clan, meaning it was a matter of honour to one’s whole Race and would be enforced with a corresponding level of intensity.

This was one of the most ancient Oaths in existence. 

“How are you going to get out of the Grand Ancient Ruins Boundary?” Zhu Jian inquired while frowning.

Yang Kai shook his head, “Of course, I have my own means. You don’t need to ask.”

“Even if you are from the Dragon Clan, I can’t possibly acknowledge you as my Master. Even so, I can swear loyalty to you,” Zhu Jian stated after giving it some thought.

[What’s the difference?] Yang Kai thought; however, seeing how Zhu Jian would rather die than agree to his original request, proved how the Divine Spirits indeed exhibited unyielding pride and arrogance.

This level of conviction was unbreakable, even in the face of death.

“That works too,” Yang Kai nodded, not actually intending to enslave the Divine Spirits here, just to bring them out to fight against the Black Ink Clan. Recognising him as a Master was for nothing but to give it an easy title to understand.

When Zhu Jian cautiously turned to look at Yang Kai, he added, “This type of loyalty needs to be limited to 100 yea…”

It was clear from what he observed that Yang Kai was not someone who could not be reasoned with; thus, he intended to negotiate and gain some advantages for himself.

“3,000 years! You will swear loyalty to me for 3,000 years and I will swear to release you when that time is up,” Yang Kai cut him off and firmly declared.