Chapter 5067 – Liu Zi An
Translator: Silavin & Jon
Translation Checker: PewPewLazerGun
Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys
Human growth was limited, especially in the Open Heaven Realm.
How high a cultivator could eventually push their Martial Dao was decided the moment they ascended to the Open Heaven Realm.
Usually, after a person ascended to the Open Heaven Realm, they could only increase their Order by 2 regardless of how hard they cultivated.
This was the reason the Cave Heavens and Paradises spent lots of time and resources nurturing the brightest disciples from a young age. Only the disciples who directly ascended to the Fifth-Order and above had the right to become High-Rank Open Heaven Realm Masters one day.
If a person directly ascended to the Fourth-Order, the limit in their lifetime would be the Sixth-Order.
However, after an Open Heaven Realm Master was corrupted by Black Ink Strength, they could break through this limitation and keep ascending to higher Orders.
This was an allure that many Open Heaven Realm Masters could not resist.
That was certainly the case for the Vice Sect Master of Lang Ya Paradise, Yuan Du. Despite his lofty status, he was still unable to resist this temptation, so he proactively sought to become corrupted and turn into a Black Ink Disciple. Ever since then, he became the source of disturbance in Lang Ya Paradise.
It was imaginable that once this news was spread, it would send a shockwave across the entire 3,000 Worlds; after all, Yuan Du wasn’t the only one who was unable to keep moving forward in the Martial Dao due to their innate limits.
However, most were not aware of the hidden dangers that came with this method. While Black Ink Strength could help an Open Heaven Realm Master achieve a breakthrough beyond their initial limitations, there was a price to pay, one that most people wouldn’t be able to bear.
Back then in the Black Prison, Yang Kai had seen several Open Heaven Realm Masters who achieved a breakthrough with the help of Black Ink Strength.
Nevertheless, they all ended up in a horrible state.
The breakthrough beyond their limits and the sharp increase in their power could cause them to explode then and there, and those that did survive had their figures radically transformed, developing mishappen features and horrible tumors. In addition, their mental state deteriorated significantly, becoming far more aggressive and irrational.
The Black Ink Disciple in front of Yang Kai undoubtedly suffered such side-effects.
The sarcoma on his neck, the hump on his back, and his unusually large build were all the result of the Black Ink Strength’s corruption.
In other words, this person wasn’t supposed to have ascended to the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm. He broke through the limit by leveraging the Black Ink Strength. Even though he had successfully reached the next Order, his figure had also been transformed.
Yang Kai could clearly feel that even though the aura of this Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm Master was dangerous, his foundation was unstable. Like an insect-infected building, it would fall apart when someone gently pushed it.
If this person kept cultivating to increase his strength, he would most likely explode as his body was no longer able to bear a power that was too great for him.
Someone like him could never be saved even if his Black Ink Strength was dispelled with Purifying Light. The limit of his Small Universe was the Sixth-Order, so the Seventh-Order Open Heaven Realm power had far exceeded what he could sustain. Once he lost the Black Ink Strength’s support, he would undoubtedly lose his life.
Countless thoughts flashed across Yang Kai’s mind as he secretly sighed. He then asked, “You are…?”
The person cupped his fist and grinned, “I’m Liu Zi An, a Black Ink Disciple under Sir Gui Liao.”
“So, it is Brother Liu,” Yang Kai nodded gently, “Is there anything I can help you with?”
Liu Zi An put on a big smile, “I heard that Sir Territory Lord personally took on a Black Ink Disciple, so I came here to have a look out of curiosity. Sir Territory Lord is powerful, so he’s usually not interested in ordinary Black Ink Disciples. I’ve not seen him taking one over the years. You’re the first one, Brother Yang.”
“I’m truly honoured, then,” Yang Kai replied humbly. He reckoned that Liu Zi An must have a reason for visiting him, so he stepped aside, “Please come in, Brother Liu.”
Without being overly polite, Liu Zi An stepped into the room.
Yang Kai then closed the door. This side hall was basically empty, so it must have been vacant for quite a long time. He hadn’t prepared anything since he had just gotten here; therefore, he fished out a table and some chairs from his Small Universe and invited the other party to have a seat.
Liu Zi An directly sat down on a chair.
After Yang Kai was seated as well, he asked, “Brother Liu, you said you’re a Black Ink Disciple under Sir Gui Liao?”
“Yes.” Liu Zi An nodded.
“How long have you been living here?” Yang Kai asked.
Liu Zi An smacked his lips and sighed, “It’s been 1,000 years. Not a short time, is it?”
“It’s indeed a very long time.” Yang Kai nodded, “I’m new to this place, so I know nothing about the Black Ink Clan. You’ll have to give me some guidance in the future, Brother Liu.”
Liu Zi An guffawed, “Of course, of course. Since we’re both working for Sir Territory Lord, you can just tell me if you need any help. Although we’re Black Ink Disciples, we’re of the same Race, after all. Let’s meet up more often whenever there’s a chance.”
“You’re right.” Yang Kai agreed with him, “Which Cave Heaven or Paradise did you come from?”
Liu Zi An waved his hand, “Since we’re Black Ink Disciples now, the past no longer has anything to do with us. There’s no need to talk about where we came from. Since you’re now within the Black Ink Clan’s territory, you should quickly try to understand your place.”
“Understood,” Yang Kai replied humbly.
Liu Zi An went on to say, “To be honest, I wasn’t used to it when I first came here; however, after coming into contact with more people, I’ve realised that the Black Ink Clan aren’t any different from Humans. You just have to get along with everyone else. If you want anyone to help you with something, or if you want to be regarded highly, you have to be on good terms with others. If you do that, you’ll be fine.”
A glint flashed through Yang Kai’s eyes when he heard that, “You have a point, Brother Liu.”
Since this guy had made it clear, Yang Kai was naturally aware of his intentions. He then rummaged through his clothes and fished out a Space Ring before pushing it towards him, “Since we’re friends now, I’d like to give you a small gift. I’ll definitely need your guidance in the future.”
Liu Zi An arched his brow and guffawed, “Well, you shouldn’t have. There’s actually no need for that.”
Despite saying that, he directly picked up the Space Ring and scanned it with his Divine Sense. The next moment, his smile froze.
There were only a few hundred thousand Open Heaven Pills in the Space Ring.
This number of Open Heaven Pills could only last him for half a month. Even though he was a Black Ink Disciple, he was still a Human; hence, the cultivation resources he needed were the same as what Humans would use.
He directly shot Yang Kai a glance and made it clear that he was displeased, “That’s not very generous of you, Brother Yang.”
An unfazed Yang Kai explained, “This is already half of all my current assets, Brother Liu. You should know that when Human soldiers go to war, they don’t bring a lot of resources with them.”
The same rule applied at all the Great Passes as they were worried that once a cultivator lost his or her life on the battlefield, their resources would be lost as well. Therefore, the cultivators who went out to fight would leave almost all their assets in their residences. That way, even if they were killed, their fellow clansmen could still take the resources and make use of them.