Ye Xi Yun actually leaving Shadowed Star to come to Azure Tree Star came as a great shock to Yang Kai.
Frowning, various thoughts churned in his mind as his expression fluctuated.
Seeing him like this, Gui Zu and Yue Xi did not disturb him.
After a while, Yang Kai got up and said decisively, “Supreme Elder, let’s return to the Sect!”
“I’d like nothing more!” Gui Zu grinned meaningfully. Although he had just joined High Heaven Sect and could now be regarded as its Supreme Elder, he had yet to see the Sect itself, so he was quite eager to. This was also his chance to establish a lofty and majestic image.
Gui Zu was interested in what being admired by thousands of people would feel like.
“Sect Master, Senior Luo Lan visited once after returning to Azure Tree Star and told this disciple that if Sect Master returned, she would very much like for him to visit Azure Tree Palace, or allow her to visit you here,” Yue Xi saw Yang Kai about to leave and quickly reported.
“That can wait; Luo Lan shouldn’t have anything vital to discuss with me,” Yang Kai pondered for a moment before shaking his head, “Just tell her that I will see her when I have time.”
Luo Lan probably just wanted to offer her thanks; after all, in the medicine valley of the Severed World, he had helped her a lot. If he had not given her that Space Mark, Luo Lan wouldn’t have been able to move about freely.
Although Yang Kai did not know how much she had gained exactly, it certainly was not a small amount.
“Yes! Safe travels, Sect Master and Supreme Elder!” Yue Xi bid formal farewells.
“En, you’ve worked hard as well. Take this little thing as a gift for our first meeting,” Gui Zu said, throwing something out. Yang Kai did not see what it was, but it should be an artifact.
Yue Xi’s voice cried out from behind as the pair walked off, “Many thanks for the gracious reward, Supreme Elder!”
Soon after, the two arrived at the room where the Cross-Cultivation Star Space Array was placed, and under the admiring gazes of He Zao and He Miao, Yang Kai and Gui Zu activated the array to travel to Shadowed Star.
“This old master’s luck seems a bit bad, following you and experiencing this unpleasant sensation without any chance to recuperate,” Gui Zu kept complaining. Although teleporting over a trillion kilometres in an instant was not an experience many could have, doing so multiple times in short order was truly unpleasant.
Yang Kai just grinned and ignored him. In the next moment, the two figures disappeared from the palace.
Azure Tree Star’s Space Array only connected to the rich Ore Star Yang Kai had discovered, so if he wanted to return to High Heaven Sect, he had to make a stopover there first to reach Shadowed Star.
After arriving on the Ore Star, Yang Kai didn’t disturb the disciples who were mining ore and just silently released his Divine Sense to confirm all was well before immediately activating the Space Array again.
After so many consecutive transfers, when he appeared in the massive main square of the High Heaven Sect, Gui Zu’s face was pale, and his whole body was a bit shaky.
He did not cultivate Space Force like Yang Kai, so this kind of uninterrupted chain of ultra-long-distance transmissions really caused him some discomfort.
It was only thanks to his profound cultivation that he was able to even stand here like this, otherwise, he would have already passed out.
In the square, the disciples on duty saw Yang Kai and were immediately overjoyed, “Sect Master has returned! Sect Master has returned!”
These disciples were some of the earliest cultivators to follow Yang Kai from the former Hai Ke Family. Over the years, each of them had made great progress, the best of which being Wu Yi and Yu Feng, who were on the verge of breaking through to the Origin Returning Realm. As for the rest, all of them had at least reached the Saint King Realm.
One had to know that the most powerful cultivators in the Hai Ke Family back then were only Saint Kings. If these disciples had remained in that family, they may not have been able to reach the Saint King Realm even if they spent their entire lives cultivating, yet all of them had achieved this milestone after following Yang Kai for just a few decades.
While the disciples on guard duty shouted loudly, one of them ran over and began ringing a large bell that had been set up nearby.
*Dang dang dang dang…*
The bell echoed among all eighty-one of High Heaven Sect’s peaks, reaching every corner of the Sect.
In the next moment, it was as if the entire Sect began to boil and from the majestic peaks streaks of light shot out and rushed towards the square.
As if seeing Yang Kai’s suspicion, the disciple on duty quickly reported, “The two Madam Sect Masters issued an order are to ring this bell to inform them if Sect Master returns.”
“So that’s how it is!” Yang Kai gently nodded before turning in the direction of Pristine Ice Peak, his eyes softening as a warm smile appeared on his lips.
He could feel that from Pristine Ice Peak, Su Yan was rushing over rapidly.
From Pill Treasure Peak, the figure of Little Senior Sister had also appeared and was riding the wind towards the square.
The other peaks also had similar activity.
“There are a lot of disciples in the Sect,” Gui Zu looked around happily, doing his best to restrain the evil aura coming from his body, determined to make a good first impression.
Soon after, a beautiful figure fell from the sky, wearing a long snow-white dress that paired perfectly with her warm-jade white skin, her limpid eyes staring at Yang Kai as if trying to silently tell him she had longed to see him.
Who else could it be but Su Yan?
In the next moment, Little Senior Sister Xia Ning Chang also landed and stood next to Su Yan, showing both deep affection and shyness.
Gui Zu’s eyes flashed as he wore a meaningful grin and muttered, “Boy, seems you’re quite lucky in love…”
As he thought so though, Gui Zu was also secretly astonished. With his level of vision, he could naturally tell that these two young women weren’t just stunning beauties, but each had remarkable talent and prowess.
Moreover, these two girls were both Third-Order Origin Returning Realm cultivators, while the girl in white had an aura that was far stronger than average. The cold aura she radiated naturally even had some influence on his Saint Qi, being both oppressive and sharp.
Although the girl in green did not have such an intimidating aura, the power hidden within her body was not to be underestimated.
This Sect… seemed to be larger and more powerful than what he had imagined, causing Gui Zu to feel much more confident in his decision.
After all, he was a Second-Order Origin King, and although Yang Kai had tempted him to join by saying High Heaven Sect had several Origin King Grade Alchemists, if the Sect itself was just a bunch of loose sand without any foundation, it would be uncomfortable for him to remain.
At this moment though, Gui Zu felt this Sect had great future prospects.
“Smelly Brat, seems you finally remembered to come back after going out for so long,” A low shout rang out from nearby. There was only one person who dared to talk to Yang Kai like this.
Yang Kai turned his head and chuckled as he called out, “Father.”
Yang Ying Feng’s face was rosy, and although he had just been reprimanding his son, there was no way to hide the relief in his expression. Yang Kai going out for a few years had caused his father to worry, so seeing him safe and sound with both his arms and legs, Yang Ying Feng was finally able to put down the huge stone which was weighing on his heart.
“Oh stop it, our son is already big, why do you insist on meddling so much?” Dong Su Zhu glared at Yang Ying Feng, “You can’t even manage these affairs, yet you dare call yourself a father?”
Yang Ying Feng smiled awkwardly, “An old fortune-teller once told me that I would only fully realize my greatness later in life, so apparently, my time to rise has not come yet. When it does, I will surely soar up into the sky and become…”
Dong Su Zhu narrowed her eyes as clear disbelief filled her expression.
Yang Ying Feng immediately felt deflated and turned his ire towards Yang Kai, his eyes filled with bitterness.
The square immediately became extremely lively, and just like every time Yang Kai returned, everyone warmly welcomed him.
“En en… the Sect having such cohesion, it seems there’s no need to worry about its future prospects. This old master feels very relieved,” Gui Zu suddenly found himself out of place and ignored, so he coughed lightly a few times to make his presence known.
As a Second-Order Origin King, he thought that he would be welcomed with the admiration and worship of the various disciples when he arrived here, but it seemed like no-one even noticed him and all the attention and limelight were taken up by Yang Kai, causing Gui Zu to feel a bit awkward in his heart.
“Yang Kai, this is…” Ling Tai Xu looked at Gui Zu suspiciously and asked solemnly.
Ling Tai Xu was now also a Third-Order Saint King. The masters from Tong Xuan Realm, such as Ling Tai Xu and Meng Wu Ya, had all made great strides in recent years, but with their cultivation, it was only natural that they were unable to sense Gui Zu’s true depths and were thus puzzled about why Yang Kai had brought back such an inscrutable master.
“En, that’s right, I forgot to introduce everyone. This is Senior Gui Zu, who will be serving as Supreme Elder of High Heaven Sect in the future!” Yang Kai straightened his face, pointed to Gui Zu, and announced loudly.
“Supreme Elder?” The crowd immediately went into an uproar as they stared at Gui Zu curiously.
After all, even a cultivator as powerful as Ye Xi Yun was only the Sect’s Great Elder. High Heaven Sect had only been founded recently and didn’t even have a Supreme Elder position. Now, suddenly having a Supreme Elder surprised everyone.
After the initial surprise came speculation about Gui Zu’s cultivation realm.
Since he was a Supreme Elder, a position below one but above ten thousand, he needed corresponding strength; at the very least he should be stronger than the Great Elder. Great Elder was a peak Third-Order Origin Realm cultivator, so could this old man be…
[An Origin King?] The hearts of everyone jumped.
“Supreme Elder is a Second-Order Origin King. Even considering the entire Star Field, he is a peak-level master and it is the Sect’s good fortune he has decided to join.” Yang Kai said, causing the entire square to fall silent as everyone stared at Gui Zu in shock, many of the disciples even showing looks of fanaticism and worship.
A real Origin King Realm master, and a Second-Order one at that!
Shadowed Star was no longer an isolated Cultivation Star, and the information brought back from the outside world by Qian Tong and the others had spread far and wide, so the disciples here knew what a Second-Order Origin King represented.
A Second-Order Origin King was a top master that could stand at the peak of the Star Field. Besides a few old monsters that were in perennial retreat, Second-Order Origin Kings were the highest authority and strength in the Star Field.
The Sect had actually attracted such a powerful person to join?
For a while, the disciples felt like they were in a dream, unable to believe their ears.
“Haha, Sect Master is too serious. It is this old master’s honour to join High Heaven Sect,” Gui Zu chuckled, very satisfied with the reactions of the disciples in front of him. Trying to remain humble but also make a strong impression, he slowly released his Second-Order Origin King aura to allow the disciples to feel his strength while smiling and saying, “Since this old master has become a Supreme Elder of this Sect, he swears to advance and retreat together with the Sect. If there is someone who wishes to bring misfortune upon the Sect one day, they will have to first deal with this old master, however… this old master is only one man and his power is limited. For the Sect to truly prosper in the future, it will require everyone to contribute their strength for generations to come!”
