Yang Kai eventually settled into a routine. He slipped out at night several times to investigate the situation on the island without being found out.
The martial artists guarding his courtyard were only at the Qi Transformation Stage and they were unable to discover his trail.
After scouting around several times, Yang Kai discovered that in the periphery there were similar courtyards like the one in which he lived, and they were also inhabited by commoners who were caught before his batch.
However the commoners in those courtyards were different. They looked thin and their complexions were pale, almost as if they were withering. Even though they ate similar delicious foods and drank the grass fluid to recuperate, it was not enough to restore their vitality.
Old Demon also felt an unusual aura coming from these people. Their bodies contained a small amount of Demon Qi. This Demon Qi wasn’t a result of cultivation, but it was like it had invaded their bodies because they were either careless or unaware.
This evil Demon Qi was nibbling away at their lives.
After acquiring all this information, Yang Kai faintly guessed what the Red Clouds Sect wanted them for, but wasn’t able to exactly pinpoint their true goal.
Half a month after they were captured by the Red Clouds Sect, one more routine was added to Yang Kai and the common people’s daily routine of eating and sleeping.
That was listening respectfully and studying about various medicinal herbs that was being taught by the Red Clouds Sect disciples.
Everyone was given a booklet, and it contained a complete description of various kinds of rare treasure and ways to harvest them.
The Red Clouds Sect disciples instructed them everyday for about an hour. Yang Kai studied earnestly everyday, after all this type of knowledge could be used anywhere.
These classes continued for half a month.
It had now been a month since Yang Kai arrived at the Red Clouds Sect. During this month he had been cultivating in secret and made a breakthrough, arriving successfully at the second boundary of the Qi Transforming Stage. He didn’t use any medicinal pills and broke through successfully by just absorbing World Qi. This type of achievement proved how rich the world energy was on the island.
If not for the situation not being wonderful, Yang Kai would have been very glad to practice here.
After one month, early one morning, the disciple responsible for guarding their courtyard called everyone.
Slaughtering start! Yang Kai thought in his heart.
Yang Kai could guess from the clues and beforehand inquires that the Red Clouds Sect wanted these commoners to go to a dangerous place to collect spirit medicines. The school disciples were unwilling to step in that dangerous place.
The unnaturally cheerful voice of Red Clouds Sect disciple was heard, “It has been a month since you arrived at the Red Clouds Sect and everyone seems much stronger, this is a gift from my sect to you. However in this world there is no free lunch, if you want to continue such comfortable days, then you need to work for my Red Clouds Sect and show your sincerity. This is also a test, as long as you can pass, you can return here and continue your unrestrained life.”
The group of people became confused and looked at each other.
“Now follow me.” He spoke no further and proceeded to lead this group of people.
They tread the same path which they walked to enter the Red Clouds Sect, and in the same way, they arrived at the seashore after walking for an hour and a steamship was waiting for them.
Yang Kai discovered that there were many people gathered on that ship. The people before him were the same ones he saw when he roamed around at night. These people were squatting on the ship, and many people were trembling with a pale complexion.
When the more than thirty people also boarded, there were almost a hundred commoners gathered on the ship. The commoners who had embarked first looked towards Yang Kai and others. There eyes held inexplicable expressions, these newcomers were reminiscent of themselves when they first embarked.
“Is everyone here?” A middle aged man who has achieved the True Element Boundary asked.
“Everyone has arrived.”
“Set sail!” That person waved his big hands and steamship started to move slowly.
At this moment a panicked voice sounded, “I do not want to go, I do not want to go to that damned place. Please let go of me, I don’t want to go there.”
While saying this with a miserable howl, he stood up and staggered towards the Red Clouds Sect’s martial artist. His complexion was scarlet and both eyes also turned scarlet red with a tinge of insanity. When he arrived in front of Red Clouds Sect martial artist, he opened his mouth wide and bit towards him while shouting, “You want me dead, I will make you die first!”
“This person’s mind has been swallowed by Demon Qi, he has become insane.” Old Demon’s voice was transmitted.
“Bold!” It looked like this wasn’t the first time that something like this had happened to the Red Clouds Sect martial artist. After looking at the scene, without delay he pulled out the saber from his waist and pierced it to through the chest of that person, then with a kick, threw him off the steamship.
From under the ship came the sound of Monster Beasts dismembering that person.
Hearing that sound everyone’s hearts went cold.
After killing that commoner the Red Cloud Sect martial artist gave an indifferent glance to the people present on the ship and he said with an indifferent tone, “Whoever behaves likewise will be thrown off the ship to become fish food.”
His body was overflowing with a murderous aura, as he swept his powerful gaze at everyone, no one dared to move or look at each other.
The ship became extremely peaceful immediately.
The final destination of the steamship was not a distant place, but was the right peninsular side of the island which was hidden in fog. After going around in a great circle, the steamship finally approached the shore.
While Yang Kai was on the ship, he understood what kind of duty they were going to be assigned.
They were needed to pick something called the Black Profound Fruit, and Yang Kai knew about this fruit. After arriving at the Red Clouds Island, in the second half of the month, he had listened to the explanation of Red Cloud Sect disciple.
On the first page of the booklet which they were provided, there was a picture of jet black fruit which generally grew like grapes on a bunch. This was a speciality of Red Clouds Island, and in the nearby sea area it was only provided by Red Clouds Island.
When the disciple was giving them the explanation about this Black Profound Fruit he was being very thorough with it. At that time Yang Kai didn’t understood why he was being so thorough about this fruit, but now he finally understood.
The Red Clouds Sect caught the common people and brought them here, there biggest goal was to collect this Mysterious Black Fruit.
This fruit wasn’t a high grade spirit medicine according to medical theory. It was only ordinary grade at most so he couldn’t understand why the Red Clouds Sect want them.
Everyone was given a medicinal basket and everyone needed to at least pick 1.5 kg of Black Profound Fruit to complete the task. Naturally if you could collect other precious materials then according to the value it could be counterbalanced.
This was the reason for the Red Clouds Sect to teach these commoners about herbal knowledge for fear that they bumped into a rare spirit medicine but failed to notice it.
More than hundred people rushed out of the steamship but the people from the Red Clouds Sect stood on the ship motionless. It appeared that the right peninsula was a forbidden area for them that nobody dared to visit.
Then, the True Element Boundary Expert said, “You have three days of time, after three days we will come to pick you up. If you are unable to complete the task then you don’t need to return and you can let life play its course on the island. Let’s go!”
The steamship departed, and more than hundred commoners looked at the ship leaving with low spirit.
Yang Kai and more than thirty people who were caught with him didn’t even get to clarify the situation as it was their first time in this place.
After a moment of standing in the same place, many people without saying a word started to move towards the interior while carrying their baskets.
Gradually their population started to thin out. Yang Kai stood on the shore and looked towards them then finally gave a sigh.
There were many Monster Beasts moving under the sea making it impossible to escape.
Turning around Yang Kai also entered the right peninsular region.
“Young Master, the Demon Qi of this place is very rich, so no wonder the Red Clouds Sect disciples do not dare to come.” Old Demon’s voice transmitted.
If this Demon Qi was inhaled a little, there was a possibility that it would do irreversible harm to the body. And if inhaled for a long time, there was a big possibility that the Demon Qi would invade the body and mind and the person would fall from the sky and become a devil.
So for this reason, the Red Clouds Sect needed to catch the commoners and make them enter the right peninsular region to collect the spirit medicine. But they spent a month of time to make their bodies recuperate in hope that they could support a few more days, because if they just let them enter right away they would just go crazy after only a short while.
“Isn’t the Demon Qi to your liking?” Yang Kai teased him, but hadn’t started to ponder about his situation.
“Hehe, it’s as Young Master says.” Old Demon said with a strange smile *Jie Jie*, “With old servant here, young master doesn’t need to be worried about being effected by this Demon Qi. But Qi is present here as well. Young master, we have time right now, we might as well explore this island, perhaps we can harvest something good.”
“I was also thinking the same thing.” Yang Kai nodded. After being caught, it had almost been a month since he was isolated, although they served many delicious things to Yang Kai, he had a lot of energy pent up.
He walked with the medicine basket on his back into the depths of the right peninsula.
It was impossible for anything to be present on the outside, even if the Mysterious Black Fruits grow fast after being picked again and again, they must have been used up. The only possibility was to find them in the interior of the island.
Many had the same idea as Yang Kai, but they always travelled in groups. It was rare for anyone to explore alone.
As the time passed, less people were gradually seen until no one was around him.
While Yang Kai was walking alone, he suddenly discovered that in front there was a person’s shadow, which was moving very fast towards the same direction as himself where he saw a vine hanging a common grape fruit.
Mysterious Black Fruit!
Yang Kai’s eyes became wide, he also hastened his footsteps, the other person was also running towards the direction of Black Profound Fruit, so who ever reached first would obtain it.
Thinking more about the string of fruit, it was around 250 grams, in other words, he only needed to find six more then the duty would be finished.
The other person was stunned by the sudden appearance of Yang Kai. He stared at him with raw hatred, and said in a low voice, “Boy give me that fruit!”
Yang Kai’s brows wrinkled slightly.
This person was also a good hearted poor commoner, but after coming and going out of this place, his body was affected by the Demon Qi and he lost his natural disposition gradually. Now he had become cutthroat and crazy. If Yang Kai didn’t give him that string of Mysterious Black Fruit then he would really kill for it.
“I can give you the fruit.” If not for the fact that Yang Kai wanted to inquire about some things, he would never snatch from a commoner.
“Give it to me quickly.” The person lowered his head and looked at Yang Kai with an evil look.
“I just want to ask one thing, what does the Red Clouds Sect do with the fruit?” Yang Kai asked that person, as it was not the first time that he entered, so he should understand something about it.
“Don’t talk rubbish, first give me the fruit then I will tell you.”
Yang Kai smiled and threw the string of Black Profound Fruit towards him.
That person received the fruit, then showed a smile, put it in the medicine basket on his back, looked Yang Kai up and down, and gradually the sharpness in his eyes vanished, after hesitating for a moment he said, “I don’t know all the details but only I listened to someone say that they need this to feed the fish.”
“To feed the fishes?”
“Em, some special fish, I am not clear about the details.”
After telling him this, the person looked at Yang Kai with an unusual, hidden evil intention then said, “You, boy, are quite skinny, might as well travel with me, what do you think? After all, here is a dangerous place.”
[Why does he want me to join him?] Yang Kai shook his head with a smile, he knew that if he travelled with this person, then he would need to meet their need first; and that is by surrendering all his Mysterious Black Fruit to meet their need first.
“So unappreciative!” He didn’t force Yang Kai to join him. The human emotions which were present on his face gradually disappeared, and with a cold snort, he departed.