Chapter Ninety-Eight: The Machine Clan!

Yang Ye and Long Xiaoqing had come prepared for a prolonged stay within the secret realm, having brought with them a comprehensive array of daily necessities.

The first level of the stone tower, now devoid of any barriers, became Yang Ye’s dwelling.

No one dared to oppose this, nor did they have reason to.

After all, even within the secret realm, winds and rains persisted.

On the second day of their arrival, a torrential downpour began, accompanied by fierce winds and a moisture-laden atmosphere.

Such weather ensured that water reached every corner of the secret realm, nurturing the growth of vegetation, preventing the place from feeling lifeless.

Amidst the heavy rain, many cultivators looked on enviously as Yang Ye and Long Xiaoqing made their home within the stone tower.

At this time, quite a few hoped that Yang Ye would clear the second level and move there, freeing up the first level.

Yet, after passing the initial barrier, Yang Ye remained inactive for several days.

For him, time was abundant—there was no rush.

Previously, during a fierce battle with the Black Armored Female General, Nezha had recorded the entire fight.

Though both moved swiftly, the footage slowed down to reveal their every move with clarity.

“Master, this woman’s speed and strength are essentially on par with yours. Your shortfall lies in the absence of combat instinct. Every strike you make requires conscious thought, whereas she acts purely on instinct…” Nezha analyzed after replaying the video in slow motion.

“Combat instinct?” Yang Ye murmured.

Nezha nodded. “Yes! To fully unleash your speed and power, you must develop combat instinct—at least in routine battles, you should be able to execute appropriate techniques and control your strength and velocity without deliberate thought.

“But this is not easy; it requires prolonged combat experience. I am not referring to sparring, Master. You and Sister Xiaoqing’s friendly matches cannot cultivate combat instinct because you both hold back, unwilling to harm each other.”

“Nezha, do I have combat instinct?” Long Xiaoqing asked curiously after Nezha’s explanation.

“Sister Xiaoqing, forget it!” Nezha shrugged. “Your dragon clan has inherited memories. Your cells naturally possess this instinct—it cannot be learned.”

Long Xiaoqing’s eyes lit up. “Well then! I’ll transmit our dragon clan’s inherited memories to my husband!”

She laughed at the thought.

Nezha shook his head. “Sister Xiaoqing, have you forgotten what Butler Mu said? If you want Master to die quickly, go ahead. Although his body was altered by dragon energy, at his current level of divine awareness, he could not withstand the transmission of your dragon clan’s inherited memories.

“Moreover, even if Master received your inherited memories, he wouldn’t be able to manifest them in his current state. It would instead hinder his performance. And…” Nezha hesitated but continued, “Sister Xiaoqing, if you did this, you would surely be punished.”

“It’s not that serious!” Long Xiaoqing waved dismissively.

---

“Xiaoqing, forget it! Nezha is right. I have to rely on myself. I’ve already taken too many shortcuts.” Yang Ye said this as he pulled Long Xiaoqing into his arms, holding her tightly.

“Ahem! I’ll go out first then!” Nezha laughed awkwardly, said a word, and quickly exited the stone tower.

Upon stepping outside, Nezha closed the stone door behind him.

“You are truly good to me, Xiaoqing!” Yang Ye kissed her cheek affectionately.

Blushing, Long Xiaoqing replied, “You’re my husband, of course I’m good to you.”

“From now on, we’ll never be apart!” Yang Ye declared.

“Mm!” Long Xiaoqing nodded firmly.

...

Zhou Hun began spreading the sword technique.

Nameless, Zhou Hun named it the “Mountain-Cleaving Blade Technique”—a rather mundane title.

The name was no accident, as this technique emphasized the force behind each strike.

Mastering the Mountain-Cleaving Blade Technique required more than just learning the forms; it demanded the willpower embedded within every move and the coordinated flow of star force within the body.

Since Yang Ye agreed to its external transmission, Zhou Hun set the price at twenty stellar beast cores.

By paying twenty stellar-grade beast cores, one could gain insight into the technique once.

Within just three days, Zhou Hun collected over a thousand stellar-grade beast cores.

Though Yang Ye himself disregarded this technique, it effectively enhanced the combat prowess of his subordinates.

After half a month, when Zhou Hun and his team had nearly mastered the blade technique, Yang Ye decided to ascend to the stone tower’s second level.

“Ye Xun, can we come along this time?” Felix stepped forward with a pleading expression when Yang Ye gathered his team to set off.

Behind Felix stood hundreds of cultivators.

Upon learning that Yang Ye’s group intended to depart, these people waited outside the stone door in advance.

Although the barrier on the stone tower’s first level had been passed and no longer existed—allowing anyone to ascend to the second level—no one had yet ventured up during these past fifteen days, as Yang Ye and Zhou Hun’s team guarded the stone door.

“Suit yourselves!” Yang Ye smiled.

---

With that, Yang Ye and Long Xiaoqing, accompanied by Zhou Hun and others, ascended the stone stairs to the tower’s second level.

Nezha, perched contentedly on the shoulders of Qin Fan—a cultivator next to Zhou Hun—wore a look of ease.

The second level’s space was somewhat smaller than the first, but similarly featured a blue glowing ring at its center.

Upon entering the ring, Yang Ye and the others found themselves within a vast canyon.

“Shu shu shu…”

Immediately after their arrival, countless black shapes descended from the sky, encircling them.

All wore tight black leather suits—men and women alike.

Their energy fluctuations differed from star force.

“They are the mechanical race,” Nezha explained. “Their bodies are composed of liquid metal and possess immense computational power. Mere star force attacks are ineffective against them. To defeat them, one must be faster and destroy the energy crystal located in their chests.”

No sooner had Nezha finished than the mechanical beings charged forward.

The battle began!

The star-level and even planetary-level cultivators accompanying them were wiped out within minutes by the black-clad mechanical foes.

Within five minutes, only Yang Ye’s group and seven other cultivators of super-stellar realm remained.

Unlike before, Yang Ye charged out immediately at the start of the fight.

Since he sought to hone his combat instinct, he could not let these mechanical soldiers escape unchallenged.

“Pfft~”

Yang Ye’s palm plunged into a mechanical soldier’s chest, extracting a fingertip-sized blue crystal.

Without its energy crystal, the mechanical being’s body melted like water and collapsed.

Clutching the crystal, Yang Ye charged toward the next mechanical soldier!

Feeling the crystal’s energy rapidly dispersing, Yang Ye activated the power of his black hole within, forming a tiny vortex in his palm.

Half of the energy crystal’s dissipating power was absorbed by the vortex and funneled into his body.

Sensing a slight increase in his internal energy, Yang Ye’s eyes brightened.

Although these mechanical beings were illusions, the energy crystals were real, condensed from the energy arrays.