In the Chaos Abyss, Shen Tu and Bi Ya gazed anxiously into the open spatial rift, hoping to catch sight of Yang Kai's figure.
But they couldn't see a thing inside. The rift, wreathed in demonic flames, was already closing, and still there was no sign of anyone escaping.
It seemed as though Yang Kai and the others would be trapped in there forever!
"Nothing bad happened, right?" Shen Tu muttered to himself. "Brother Yang's understanding of spatial mysteries has already reached an extremely high level—nothing should have gone wrong. Don't you think?"
He turned to look at Bi Ya, hoping she would affirm his words.
"I don't know…" Bi Ya shook her head, her mood equally complicated. "But I hope nothing has happened to him!"
If Yang Kai never returned and was swallowed by that spatial void, then the soul imprint he had placed on her would perish along with him. Once the imprint vanished, she would die without question!
Naturally, she didn't want anything to happen to Yang Kai.
"He's out!" Shen Tu suddenly called in a low voice, stepping forward. He had spotted a figure flickering within the nearly-closed rift before bursting through.
It was the Ghost Ancestor!
Upon recognizing his face, Shen Tu grumbled in dissatisfaction, "It's you? Where's Brother Yang?"
"Behind me!" The Ghost Ancestor glanced back. Close on his heels, the He Zao and He Miao sisters emerged from the rift, followed by Yang Kai and Yue Xi.
The moment Yang Kai stepped clear, the spatial rift wreathed in demonic flames sealed itself shut behind him, vanishing without a trace.
"Haha, I knew Brother Yang had luck and destiny on his side—nothing could happen to you!" Shen Tu laughed heartily, genuinely happy for Yang Kai. As he spoke, his expression suddenly turned strange, and he eyed Yang Kai with keen interest, snickering softly as though he had noticed something, his face taking on a knowing look.
Everyone else's gazes gathered as well, their expressions growing equally peculiar.
At that moment, Yang Kai had his arm wrapped around Yue Xi's waist. Yue Xi, remarkably, showed no sign of resistance—her neck was flushed red, and her lovely face wore an awkward, unnatural expression.
He Miao couldn't help but cover her mouth, her beautiful eyes widening. Staring at this inconceivable scene, she had no idea what had happened between her master and Yang Kai after she and her sister had left, for them to suddenly become so intimate.
What shocked her most was that her master showed absolutely no intention of resisting.
She had never once allowed any man to come within three zhang of her, let alone be held by one. This was absolutely unprecedented—if the Sword Alliance's various stars, those admirers of her master, were to learn of this scene, they would undoubtedly go after Yang Kai with their lives on the line.
He Zao couldn't help but give a light cough, unsure of what to say to alert her master.
Under the weight of all those stares, Yue Xi's expression grew even more uncomfortable. She wished she could dive back into that spatial rift and never come out.
Yang Kai, however, said nothing. He released her with imperceptible subtlety. Then his figure flickered, and in an instant he was a hundred zhang away, his cold, wary gaze fixed on the Ghost Ancestor. His power was coiled and restrained, ready at any moment to tear through space and flee.
The air of intimacy was shattered in an instant. Every face turned grave, and all eyes shifted to the Ghost Ancestor, each person looking as though they faced a mortal enemy.
Now that they had left the Suspended Continent and successfully arrived in the Chaos Abyss, the Ghost Ancestor had fulfilled a wish two thousand years in the making. If he were to suddenly turn on everyone at this moment, there was no one present who could survive except Yang Kai—and even he had only the slimmest chance.
The vast starfield stretched before them, stars glittering in the void. Silence reigned, yet the atmosphere surrounding the group was heavy and taut with tension.
The Ghost Ancestor chuckled softly, his sinister eyes locked on Yang Kai a hundred zhang away, unwavering. No one could tell what he was thinking.
From their chests came the sound of pounding hearts—forceful and rapid, like the beating of war drums.
"Boy. What are you afraid of?" the Ghost Ancestor spoke.
Yang Kai's lips twitched. He answered bluntly, "I'm afraid the Senior will go back on his word!"
"Is this old man really so untrustworthy?" the Ghost Ancestor snorted coldly. "Based on that remark alone, I could kill you a dozen times over! Don't think that because you can tear through space you can escape my grasp. You're far too weak—I could stop you before you even made a move!"
"I believe the Senior has that ability," Yang Kai said, his expression solemn. "But if you do strike, this junior will not simply sit and wait for death!"
"Senior Ghost Ancestor, for the sake of Brother Yang fulfilling his promise and successfully bringing you out of there, you should…" Shen Tu tried to mediate with kind words, but before he could finish, the Ghost Ancestor cast him a cold glance. In that instant, Shen Tu's face twisted in agony, and he clutched his head, letting out a miserable scream.
Yang Kai's expression shifted slightly.
"Senior…" Yue Xi called out in alarm.
The Ghost Ancestor turned his gaze toward her. Yue Xi's face drained of color in an instant, and she shrieked in pain just as Shen Tu had.