Martial Peak

Chapter 1604, Heavy Losses

“Withdraw?” Qian Tong was taken aback, wondering why Yang Kai was suddenly so anxious.

“Go now! It will be too late if you don’t,” Yang Kai didn’t explain, letting out one last shout before swiftly retreating, grabbing Lin Yu Rao on his way.

Lin Yu Rao was confused but did not resist, allowing Yang Kai to drag her away as he quickly flew hundreds of metres back.

“Brother Qian…” Zhao Tian Ze turned a bewildered look towards Qian Tong, asking for some clarification.

“Listen to Yang Kai,” Qian Tong turned into a stream of light without hesitation and followed Yang Kai.

Qian Tong did not know why Yang Kai would make such a choice, but he chose to trust Yang Kai unconditionally.

Perhaps Yang Kai had a profound reason!

Seeing that the three of them had already retreated, Zhao Tian Ze hesitated for a moment before slapping his thigh in annoyance and following them.

The scene quickly became chaotic.

As the cracks on Domain Stone Mountain continued to increase, countless cultivators rushed forward, trying to snatch the fragmented Domain Stone.

There were also some among the crowd who were quite shrewd, however, and upon hearing Yang Kai’s shout they noticed that something was wrong and withdrew quietly instead of wading in the muddy waters.

Something inexplicable was happening, and there was no way to tell what would happen when Domain Stone Mountain truly broke apart.

However, there were not many such people, only about a tenth of the total population. Everyone else lost to the temptation in front of them and ignored Yang Kai’s loud warning.

*Kacha…*

The cracking noises continued to grow louder as Domain Stone Mountain seemed to teeter on the verge of collapse. Before everyone’s eyes, the cracks on its surface grew longer and bigger at an increasing rate.

Soon after, Domain Stone Mountain collapsed and broke into innumerable Domain Stones over varying sizes.

What everyone felt was strange, however, was that the broken Domain Stones were not the same as those which appeared in Domain Vortices. Each piece of Domain Stone was as thin as a cicada’s wings.

“Impossible, was Domain Stone Mountain actually hollow the entire time?” Someone yelled in disbelief.

These paper-thin Domain Stones served as proof that Domain Stone Mountain was hollow inside. If not, how could its broken fragments be as thin as a cicada’s wing? The scene before everyone was similar to what would happen if a porcelain pot fell to the ground and broke.

This was an unacceptable reality for many people.

However, even these extremely thin Domain Stones were Domain Stones.

After a few breaths of surprise, the crowd rushed forward madly again as they began trying to seize these pieces of Domain Stone.

The scene instantly became chaotic!

The light from artifacts and Martial Skills was so blinding that an area with a radius of nearly a hundred metres became impossible to see into. Screams sounded; blood splashed…

Suddenly though, a ripple visible to the naked eye surged outwards at an astonishing speed from the centre of where Domain Stone Mountain once stood.

All the cultivators covered by this ripple involuntarily stopped their actions, their expression changing from ones of frenzy to ones of terror.

When this ripple swept across their bodies, they all felt a dangerous but familiar aura, Domain!

On top of that, it was an extremely powerful Domain!

The invisible Domain Stone Mountain’s unique Domain seemed to suddenly reappear at that moment.

“Not good, run!” A somewhat smarter cultivator shouted.

No one bothered trying to snatch the scattered Domain Stones anymore as every cultivator desperately pushed their Saint Qi and tried to flee outwards.

However, it was too late!

After the first wave appeared, a second followed, then a third… each wave propagating faster than the one before it.

In an instant, countless ripples visible to the naked eye filled a nearly one-thousand-metre radius around the ruins of Domain Stone Mountain.

Space distorted as the true power of Domain Stone Mountain’s overbearing Domain finally revealed its hideous appearance, like a wild and ravenous beast, opening its jaws wide as it swallowed nearly two hundred Third-Order Origin Returning Realm cultivators into its belly.

Screams sounded in all directions, causing the skin of those who heard them to crawl. No Origin Returning Realm cultivator could withstand the crushing force of this violent Domain and the vigorous vitality of all those caught inside of it were swiftly extinguished, disappearing in a flash.

After being struck by this series of ripples, everyone caught in their range exploded into beautiful yet ghastly red blossoms.

Yang Kai and his group of four, standing a few thousand metres away from Domain Stone Mountain, instantly turned pale upon witnessing this sight.

Zhao Tian Ze shivered unconsciously as his teeth began to chatter.

He could easily imagine what would have happened to him if he had given in to his greed just now. He would certainly have been caught in that explosion of Domain just like everyone else and died a miserable death. Turning to look at Yang Kai, his heart filled with gratitude.

Had it not been for this young man who stood higher and saw further, this trip to the Blood Prison would have been over for him.

The complexions of Qian Tong and Lin Yu Rao were not much better.

So many cultivators at the same realm as them, so many powerful masters who had the qualifications to strive for the Origin King Realm, had fallen here without being able to resist.

These people had been crushed as if they were ants…

Their mood was subtle and complicated.

At the same time, in the stone pavilion outside the Blood Prison, Luo Hai, who had been sitting peacefully, got up quickly, his expression suddenly turning ugly.

“Sir Luo Hai, what happened?” Seeing such a look on Luo Hai’s face, the old woman surnamed Lei asked nervously.

“Yes, Brother Luo Hai, what has happened to make you so anxious?” An old man also asked curiously.

Any master who had reached the Origin King Realm possessed exceptional control over their mental state and it was extremely rare for them to show shock, not to mention that Luo Hai was no ordinary Origin King. He was the Star Master of Green Mountains Star and a Second-Order Origin King. Even considering the entire Star Field, apart from a few old hidden dragons who never showed their faces anymore, not many people could claim to be stronger than him.

Luo Hai’s face suddenly turning so distraught made everyone realize that something terrible must have happened.

“Domain Stone Mountain has been destroyed!” Luo Hai quickly said.

“What? Are you certain?”

“Yes, how could Domain Stone Mountain be destroyed?”

“Who did it? Those little Juniors shouldn’t have such ability, right?”

Everyone began clamouring. If it had not been Luo Hai who was saying this, none of them would have believed it.

Even if Luo Hai said so, they still had doubts.

How could Domain Stone Mountain possibly have been destroyed?

“Sir Luo Hai, is this really true?” The old woman looked at Luo Hai solemnly.

“Why would this King make such a bad joke with you?” Luo Hai frowned, “As for how it was destroyed, this King is not clear, but it was definitely destroyed!”

Everyone looked at each other but didn’t question Luo Hai’s judgment.

He was this place’s Star Master, so since he said it happened, he must be completely certain.

No one present was able to just accept such a result, however.

“Haa, what a pity, Domain Stone Mountain is the treasure of the Blood Prison. It has existed for over ten thousand years but now it has been destroyed,” After a long silence, the old man who had spoken before sighed. Although Domain Stone Mountain existed on Green Mountains Star, it could be said to be a treasure to the entire Star Field. Now that it was ruined, everyone felt some regret.

Perhaps its destruction would result in far few Origin Kings rising in the Star Field!

“Sir Luo Hai, with Domain Stone Mountain being destroyed, what about the people who had been cultivating around it just now?” The old woman suddenly thought of a more serious problem.

When the others heard this, they all focused their attention anxiously.

“There were many deaths! The exact number of auras that vanished is impossible for this King to tell, but this King estimates that at least two hundred died.”

“Two hundred!?” The old woman’s face changed drastically, a bitter smile forming on her face after some time, “It seems all the great forces have suffered heavy losses then.”

The Blood Prison Trial always resulted in high casualties because the Third-Order Origin Returning Realm cultivators who entered didn’t fear each other and in order to gain a greater chance to reach the Origin King Realm they would even resort to killing others who stood in their way.

Today, however, the sudden change in Domain Stone Mountain had actually killed around two hundred cultivators who had entered the Blood Prison all at once. It was likely this tragedy had resulted in the participants from various great forces being completely wiped out.

Everyone quickly realized the seriousness of the problem.

“Fortunately, Third Young Master didn’t come this time, otherwise…” The old man from Heng Luo Chamber of Commerce suddenly broke out into a cold sweat, a look of fear filling his face.

If Xue Yue Third Young Master had also come to participate in the Blood Prison Trial this time and gone to Domain Stone Mountain…

The old man did not even want to imagine it!

Third Young Master Xue Yue was Heng Luo Chamber of Commerce’s greatest hope for the future.

…..

Inside the Blood Prison, after just a few breaths of time, the chaotic scene calmed down again, but all the cultivators who had not withdrawn ahead of time had been reduced to ash. Only about thirty people survived this catastrophe.

These people had all heard Yang Kai’s warning and retreated immediately, saving their lives.

After recovering from their bout of terror, all of them cupped their fists towards Yang Kai, expressing their gratitude.

Domain Stone Mountain was now gone, so no one would remain here anymore. Everyone began splitting up and flying off in different directions, going deeper into the Blood Prison to continue searching for opportunities.

Soon, only Yang Kai and his group of four were left in this wide-open area.

“Sect Master Yang, this old master is eternally grateful for your life-saving efforts. After leaving the Blood Prison, this Zhao earnestly wishes that Sect Master Yang come to Green Water City so this Zhao can offer his utmost thanks and hospitality!” Zhao Tian Ze said sincerely as he displayed genuine and profound respect for Yang Kai.

Yang Kai smiled faintly and said, “City Lord Zhao is too polite, I didn’t do anything, but I will certainly pass through Green Water City when all of this is over. I hope I won’t be inconveniencing City Lord Zhao then.”

Qian Yue was still searching for information about Su Yan back in Green Water City, so Yang Kai was certainly going to go pick her up.

“Certainly not!” Zhao Tian Ze waved his hand quickly as a smile appeared on his face, “Sect Master Yang visiting is this Zhao’s honour, how could it possibly be any inconvenience?”

Yang Kai gently nodded before turning to Qian Tong and Lin Yu Rao and saying, “Be careful from here on out.”

Hearing these words, Lin Yu Rao flashed a slight look of disappointment, “Sect Master won’t be joining us?”

“No, I still have something I need to do,” Yang Kai shook his head. He had yet to obtain the Origin Essence Crystal Chi Yue requested of him, and with the other half of the Monster Transformation Art in Yu Xiong’s hands, Yang Kai really had no other choice.

The Source strength of the Golden Divine Dragon in his body was something Yang Kai was extremely eager to develop.

“Then you should also be careful out there. I am confident that no one here is your opponent, but you still need to remain wary of the scattered Domains here as they are very powerful. Don’t push yourself too hard,” Qian Tong warned